News

Indonesia to introduce a front-of-pack nutrition label

Indonesia’s Food and Drug Authority (BPOM) has announced plans to introduce a traffic light-style front-of-pack nutrition label called Nutri-Level.

While the Island State of Singapore has already introduced a food and beverage health label policy, a similar move in Indonesia is expected to have significant repercussions in the Asia Pacific region, especially given the fact that the country’s population currently stands at 277 million.

BPOM announced a draft regulation for the new policy in September, seeking to introduce front-of-pack nutritional labelling to indicate the amount of sugar, salt, and fat in any packaged products.

Falling in line with Singaporean regulations

Similar to Singaporean label, the system proposes the adoption of a traffic light warning system, incorporating four warning levels. “A” is dark green and requires that foods carry trace levels of sugar and very low levels of salt and fat, with colourings and no additives.

The other categories are “B” which is light green, “C” which is amber and “D” which is red. Each of these categories can contain progressively higher pre-determined levels of sugar, while category “D” also has no restrictions of additives.

Providing more details on how the implementation of the regulation is likely to unfold, Irene Djalim, manager of regulatory affairs at Asia Pacific law practice Tilleke & Gibbins, clarified that manufacturers must know that sugars also include monosaccharides and disaccharides, but excludes lactose, while liquid milk and plain milk powder are exempt.

“The draft regulation provides Nutri-Level label examples in both full and simplified formats. The simplified format applies to small packages of 30 square centimeters or less, while the full format must be used on other packages,” Djalim said.

Pending regulation applications will have to be amended

While the regulation is still in the draft stage and not expected to be passed until the end of 2024, the proposal outlines that any processed foods that have a pending application with the BPOM once it is passed will have to amend their on-pack labelling within 30 months. For ready-to-drink beverages, liquid content and powdered beverages, that grace period will be 30 months.

The NutriScore food and beverage nutrition label was developed by French researchers and is used on a voluntary basis in many European countries, including France, Belgium, Spain, and the Netherlands.

In Singapore, a similar system was introduced in 2022 as a four-level system known as Nutri-Grade, with level “D” items banned from advertising such products in the media.

In an official statement released at the end of September, Indonesia’s BPOM stated that once the proposal is confirmed, the new regulations would be introduced gradually, and in phases.

“The implementation of the Nutri-Level regulation for processed foods is to be carried out in stages. The first stage will be targeted at ready-to-consume drinks for sugar, salt and fat content that falls between level C and level D. The enforcement of Nutri-Level will also be implemented in line with processed foods determined by BPOM and ready-to-eat processed foods determined by the [Indonesian] Ministry of Health,” the statement read.

Indonesia is likely to take inspiration from Singapore’s implementation

Indonesia’s system is expected to mirror that of Singapore’s, which has been commended by the World Health Organization as helping “to transform food and environments for healthy diets and optimal nutrition,” after being singled out for 2024 WHO Healthy Cities Recognition Award.

In Singapore, the system has been gradually implemented, initially singling out packaged foods and beverages by outlining a minimal level of sugar, salt and additives to comply.

The next level of the Nutri-Grade regulation will target cooking oil, pre-packed salt, sauces and seasonings and instant noodles, in an effort to point consumers to products with lower levels of sodium.