health
February 22, 2026
Thailand moves to cut sugar in popular drinks amid health drive
Major chains agree to halve default sweetness, but street vendors and cafes remain outside sugar tax rules
TL;DR
- Thailand is initiating a campaign to reduce sugar in popular drinks by having major coffee chains halve the default sweetness.
- Thai people consume an average of 21 teaspoons of sugar daily, significantly exceeding the WHO's recommendation.
- A sugar tax introduced in 2017 has led to product reformulation by manufacturers but does not cover street vendors or cafes.
- New initiatives include offering customers different sweetness levels, with 100% sweetness being half as sugary as before for certain drinks.
- Studies suggest that prompting customers to choose sweetness levels encourages them to opt for less sugary options.
- Some street vendors, like Auntie Nid, are reluctant to change their recipes, citing the importance of sugar for taste and popularity, especially among tourists.
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