SINGAPORE: Buying your favourite bubble tea or ice-blended coffee will be a slightly different experience from the end of this year, with new requirements covering the sale of freshly prepared beverages.
Toppings such as pearls, jellies and whipped cream must be labelled with a declaration of their sugar content from Dec 30.
Beverages that carry the Nutri-Grade C or D labels must carry the relevant markings while advertisements featuring D grade beverages will be prohibited.
This comes as the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Friday (Jun 30) said that it will be extending its Nutri-Grade requirements to cover freshly prepared drinks.
Implemented in December 2022, Nutri-Grade is a four-level grading system based on sugar and saturated fat content.
The labels are colour-coded: A (dark green), B (light green), C (orange) and D (red), with A being the category with the lowest sugar and fat content.
It had earlier been announced that food and beverage outlets will be required by the end of 2023 to include nutrition labels on their menus indicating drinks that contain higher levels of sugar and saturated fat. These include freshly brewed drinks from coffee shops, freshly squeezed juices and bubble tea.
The latest announcement from the Health Ministry on Friday sets out additional details.
Beverage toppings must be labelled with sugar declaration marks to enable consumers to identify those that are lower in sugar content, said MOH.
For freshly prepared or existing Nutri-Grade beverages graded C or D, the Nutri-Grade mark must be labelled next to the beverages listed for sale.
These sugar declaration and Nutri-Grade marks must be carried on physical and online menus, as well as posters.