On September 27, 2023, the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission issued a notice to publicly solicit opinions on the Guidelines for the Making and Setting of Health Warning Labels for Sugary Beverages (Consultation Draft). This initiative aims to raise residents' awareness of the health hazards associated with excessive consumption of sugary beverages and promote a healthier lifestyle. Public opinions can be submitted to shspc@wsjkw.sh.gov.cn before October 31.
Key Points of the Draft
1. Definition of sugary beverages
According to the Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022), sugary beverages refer to beverages that are artificially added with sugar during the production process and have a sugar content of over 5%.
2. Specifications and patterns of health warning labels
The proposed health warning labels adopt a three-dimensional cylindrical shape, similar to a can, on which prompt symbols, prompt texts, and additional illustrations are presented against three different colored backgrounds. Red label signifies "Drink less or no sugary beverages" and inform consumers about the risks of dental caries and overweight associated with excessive sugar consumption. Orange label indicates " The Chinese Dietary Guidelines recommends consuming less than 25 grams of sugar per day." Green label recommends consumers check the nutritional composition table. While the labels do not directly indicate the sugar content of the beverage, they guide consumers to make healthier choices.
3. Application scenarios and requirements
The health warning signs for sugary beverages apply to both offline and online sales venues instead of attaching to the beverages themselves. Offline venues include the sales locations of prepackaged and made-on-site sugary beverages.
(1) Offline sales venues
Prepackaged sugary beverage sales venues (e.g., supermarkets, convenience stores, restaurants, and vending machines) should display all three colors of health warning labels. Large and medium-sized supermarkets should use large labels for sugary beverage shelves/open freezers. Convenience stores and restaurants should be labeled with medium-sized version, and the refrigerator and vending machine should be attached to small version labels.
Places selling made-on-site sugary beverages (e.g., milk tea shops, coffee shops, restaurants) should display both the red and the orange health warning signs on the ordering table and distribution machine. Milk tea shops, coffee shops, and restaurants should use medium labels. Automatic dispensers should be attached with small-sized labels.
(2) Online sales venues
Such places shall adopt electronic signage. The three sugary beverage health warning labels should be prominently displayed on the electronic menu.
Domestic and International Context
In August, the Shanghai Center for Disease Control and Prevention implemented a pilot project for health reminder labels for sugary beverages, displaying the "red, orange, and green" signs in supermarkets. Alarming findings emerged from random inspections conducted in 10 supermarkets and convenience stores during the pilot project, revealing that nearly 70% of the beverages had high sugar content. These results underscore the pressing need to take measures to address the issue of excessive consumption of sugary beverages in China.
Many countries have regulations on the grading of beverages. Singapore, for example, has implemented a four-level nutritional grading for bottled beverages since December last year, in which A, B, C, and D indicates decreasing levels of healthiness. Singapore also prohibits advertising for D-grade beverages, which are considered the "least healthy." Starting from December 2023, freshly made beverages sold in specific locations in Singapore will also be required with nutritional grading labels. This move is aimed at addressing the high diabetes rates in the population.
The labeling of beverage grading in Singapore falls under Front-of-Pack (FOP) labeling, which China currently does not have mandatory regulations for. For more information, please refer to Front-of-Pack (FOP) Nutrition Labeling on Food Products in the Asia Pacific.
Impact and Significance of the Pilot Project
This pilot project and the opinion solicitation for the draft have brought significant attention to the hazards of sugary beverages, with many voices acknowledging Shanghai's efforts and the role of health warning labels. There are also calls to reduce the harm of sugary beverages at the source, urging manufacturers to produce and businesses to sell more sugar-free and reduced-sugar beverages.
If the pilot project proves successful, it may be expanded nationwide. Potentially, China may follow Singapore's practice of printing beverage grading labels directly on product packaging. The move also demonstrates the government's encouragement of low-sugar beverage consumption, which can guide product development for enterprises.
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