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View all search resultsSweet talk, sour doubts: Indonesia faces hurdles in curbing sugary drinks
Consumers worry that beverage sellers or brands may manipulate nutritional labels, while business owners are concerned about additional costs to test their products.
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A woman selling sugary drinks serves customers on June 24, 2025, at a business district in Surabaya, East Java. (AFP/Juni Kriswanto)
T
he Health Ministry’s policy of graded labeling for sugar, salt and fat content in beverage products has been met with doubt by consumers and small business owners, who question its implementation and whether it would effectively influence dietary habits.
The policy, stipulated in a ministerial regulation issued in April, pushes the nutrition label, called Nutri-Level, to be applied on menus and packaging of freshly prepared beverages sold in drink outlets and restaurants. It classified drinks from A to D level accompanied by color codes based on the percentage of sugar, salt and fat content per 100 milliliters.
Rizky, 31, who likes café hopping, said he supports the policy and hopes the label will encourage people to pay closer attention to what they consume and raise awareness about the health consequences of their daily dietary choices.
However, Rizky also questioned whether the graded labeling system could be implemented consistently and accurately, noting that reliable nutritional assessments require proper laboratory testing.
“I am concerned about the possibility that some brands could display favorable Nutri-Level ratings on their products without proper testing, because accurate measurements require additional costs and effort,” he said on Wednesday.
Read also: Govt introduces nutrition grade on drinks to curb unhealthy diets
Syahrul, a 57-year-old coffee shop owner in Depok, West Java, argued the policy could be difficult to be implemented by small businesses.
