November 13, 2025 | 08:47 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs, Zulkifli Hasan, said the Indonesian government is studying to implement a warning label for high sugar content on the packaging of sweetened beverages. "We are not barring people from consuming sweetened drinks, but the public needs to be aware of the risks. If the younger generation is healthy, Indonesia will be more productive," said Zulkifli in a written statement on Thursday, November 13, 2025.
Zulkifli, familiarly known as Zulhas, mentioned that the plan aims to protect the younger generation from the threat of diabetes and kidney failure due to excessive sugar consumption. Zulhas stated that sweetened packaged drinks are one of the triggers for kidney failure, which leads to dialysis treatment in younger people.
Additionally, Zulhas warned against the threat of obesity due to excessive sugar consumption. The National Mandate Party politician maintained that illnesses and obesity could disrupt the productivity of youths. "The government wants people to be aware of sugar content before making a purchase," he added.
According to Zulhas, as per the 2024 International Diabetes Federation (IDF) data, the number of people with diabetes in Indonesia has reached 20.4 million. This places Indonesia fifth in the world for the highest number of diabetes patients, adding that the prevalence of diabetes in adults aged 20-79 years is recorded at 11.3 percent. This marks a significant drop compared to a decade ago, he said.
Meanwhile, the minister revealed that national sugar consumption during the 2024-2025 period reached 7.6 million tons, among the highest in the world. He cited studies that show more than 75 percent of urban teenagers in Indonesia consume sweetened beverages at least three times per week.
He is optimistic that the high sugar warning label policy will encourage transparency in food information and serve as a visual warning for the public to make wiser choices. Similar models have been implemented in Thailand, Chile, and Singapore. Zulkifli Hasan stated that the policy has successfully educated the public and encouraged the industry to innovate with healthier products.
Editor’s Choice: Indonesia to Implement Excise on Packaged Sweetened Drinks This Year
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