Singapore To Be the First Country to Ban Advertisements For Very Sugary Drinks

“Singapore” The First Country That Will Ban The Advertisements For Very Sugary Drinks

SINGAPORE – It is one of Asia’s-hit-list destinations and it is constantly evolving, reinventing, and re-imagining itself. It will be the first country that will ban some advertisements for very sugary drinks.

Singapore Ban Advertisements

Such drinks, as well as medium to high-sugar content beverages, must carry a label on the front of the pack to signal that it’s unhealthy. This is what the Senior Minister of State for Health Edwin Tong said at a conference on Thursday.

Singapore will become the first country in the world to implement a ban on ads for the most unhealthy and sugary drinks. This is the latest move to combat rising diabetes rates, said by the health ministry.

Based on the article, products deemed “less healthy” must now display labels grading their nutritional and sugar content. For those considered to be most unhealthy will be prohibited from appearing in ads across all media platforms, including broadcast, print, and online channels.

Singapore Ban Advertisements
Photo Credit: The Straits Times

This is what the ministry said after calling the ban a world-first, “This aims to reduce the influence of such advertisements on consumer preferences.” He also added that the measures were only a start and it will continue to explore the possibility of a sugar tax or ban.

The Senior Minister also added that they will urge the manufacturers to reformulate their drinks to contain less sugar. “We urge SSB (sugar-sweetened beverages) manufacturers to consider reformulating their drinks to contain less sugar even as we further study these measures,” he said.

According to the International Diabetes Federation, 13.7% of adults suffer from diabetes in Singapore, one of the highest rates among developed nations. Some 420 million people around the world today suffer from diabetes, with the number expected to rise to 629 million by 2045.

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