Thailand Sweetens Its Approach: Major Coffee Chains Halve Sugar in Popular Drinks

The Thai government has initiated a significant campaign to curb sugar consumption, specifically targeting popular beverages. This month marks a key development as nine major coffee chains in the country committed to halving the sugar level considered "normal sweetness" in some of their drinks. This bold move aims to reshape public taste preferences and enhance overall national health.

"This initiative aims to reset public taste preferences and improve overall health."

The Sweet Burden: Thailand's High Sugar Intake

Thai citizens consume an average of 21 teaspoons of sugar daily, significantly surpassing the World Health Organization's recommended limit of six teaspoons. Sugary drinks are a primary contributor to this high intake, historically positioning Thailand as one of Asia's largest consumers of calories from sweetened beverages.

A Phased Approach: Thailand's Sugar Tax

Previous governmental measures to tackle this issue include a sugar tax, which was phased in starting 2017 and fully implemented last year. This tax specifically targets pre-packaged sugary drinks. As noted by Assistant Professor Pojjana Hunchangsith of Mahidol University, this legislation has successfully prompted many manufacturers to reduce sugar levels in their products to avoid higher tax rates.

Beyond the Bottle: Targeting Freshly Made Beverages

However, the sugar tax has a notable limitation: it does not apply to street vendors or cafes, which offer a wide range of sweet beverage options and are significant sources of sugar intake. Regulating freshly made drinks presents a unique and greater challenge.

Reshaping "Normal Sweetness"

The current government initiative primarily involves major cafe chains. Many establishments already provide customers with different sweetness level options (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%). Under the new campaign, for specific drinks, the 100% sweetness option will now contain half the sugar content it previously held.

"Under the new campaign, for specific drinks, the 100% sweetness option will now contain half the sugar content it previously held."

Mixed Reactions to the Sweetness Reset

Public reception to these measures varies. Ann Thumthong, a 55-year-old taxi driver, expressed support, highlighting the difficulty of avoiding sweet items and her personal shift towards healthier food choices. Phumsith Mahasuweerachai, an associate professor at Khon Kaen University, conducted a study with a compelling finding: simply offering customers a choice in sweetness levels encouraged them to select less sugary drinks, unlike providing calorie information.

He suggests that guiding customer choices is essential for behavioral change.

Conversely, some vendors are reluctant to embrace the change. 68-year-old Auntie Nid, a popular tea vendor in Bangkok, is reluctant to change her traditional recipes.

She maintains that the strong, intense taste, which relies on sugar, is fundamental to her drinks' popularity, especially among foreign visitors.

One of her customers, Phakamas, 39, shared that she consumes sugar infrequently and views it as acceptable in her diet.