INCENTIVES IN NEW NATIONWIDE SODIUM-REDUCTION CAMPAIGN TO SHIFT CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR

NOTICE PAPER NO. 1544
NOTICE OF QUESTION FOR WRITTEN ANSWER
FOR THE SITTING OF PARLIAMENT ON 28 NOVEMBER 2022

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Mr Yip Hon Weng
MP for Yio Chu Kang

Question No. 2420

To ask the Minister for Health (a) how will the new nationwide sodium-reduction campaign shift consumer behaviour to take up low-sodium alternatives; (b) whether there are incentives for businesses to use or offer low-sodium alternatives; (c) if so, what will these incentives be; and (d) what are the measurements for success and the timeline to achieve them.

Answer

As reported in the media, the Health Promotion Board (HPB) launched a public education campaign on sodium reduction in October 2022, to inform the public about health concerns associated with high sodium intake, and encourage consumers to switch to lower-sodium alternatives labelled with the Healthier Choice Symbol. 

As announced in COS 2022, HPB’s Healthier Ingredient Development Scheme provides grants for salt, sauces and seasoning suppliers, to develop lower-sodium ingredients and promote their adoption among F&B businesses. 

We target to reduce Singaporeans’ daily sodium intake by about 15% over 5 years, from 3600mg in 2022 to 3100mg in 2026.