Indonesia orders food companies to apply colour-graded sugar, fat content stickers

Indonesia will require food and beverage companies to apply colour-graded labels for products high in salt, ​sugar, and fat in two years in a bid ‌to combat obesity and other health risks, according to a new health ministry decree seen by Reuters.

Reuters first reported the plan to introduce labelling norms last year. Here are ​some details:

• In a ministerial decree issued on Tuesday, ​Indonesia officially released a traffic-light “nutri-level” system of red ⁠labels for items high in fat, salt and sugar ​and green for those with low levels.
• Companies may independently add ​a sticker with the corresponding colours on their products based on test results from government laboratories, the decree showed.
• The norms will be mandatory in two ​years, the decree showed, although it did not provide any details ​on sanctions for companies that do not comply.
• Stickers must also be added to ‌menus ⁠at stores that sell ready-made products, the decree showed.
• More than 40 countries have established similar systems, whether voluntary or mandatory, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development group ​of nations said ​in 2023. ⁠Singapore also has a similar system.
• Health ministry data shows that obesity rates doubled in the decade up ​to 2023 in Indonesia, the world’s fourth most populous nation ​with ⁠280 million people. Child agency UNICEF has also warned of obesity risks for one in three adults and one in five school-age children.
• The ⁠decree ​follows lobbying by the United States ​and domestic manufacturers, who urged President Prabowo Subianto to reconsider the plan, Reuters ​reported last year.