Both locally-produced and imported beverages are required to indicate the total sugar content on their front label, the Trade Department said Thursday
“We will require imported beverages to indicate the total amount of sugar content in the front of label. Manufacturers, both local and foreign, have the option to create new packaging that will show the total sugar content or they can use stickers placed on the front side of the current packaging to indicate the total sugar content of the beverage,” Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said in a news briefing in Makati City.
Manufacturers were given six months to comply with the recommendation.
The department recommended the inclusion of the information on the sugar content per pack and per serving as part of the front-of-pack label of any packaged beverage, whether liquid or powdered juice mix to raise public consciousness about excessive sugar intake.
Lopez said the regulation was a part of mandatory labeling as stated in Article 74 of the Consumer Act of the Philippines.