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.