Hong Kong food products with healthy sugar or salt levels to be labelled for easier consumer choice
The Committee on Reduction of Salt and Sugar in Food is also pushing for lower levels of salt in condiments, and calorie count in restaurant menus
About 100 types of pre-packaged food such as yoghurt and biscuits are likely to come under a labelling scheme that identifies products with lower salt and sugar content.
Bernard Chan, chairman of the Committee on Reduction of Salt and Sugar in Food, said the scheme aimed to provide consumers with a clearer and easier means to identify healthy food. It is expected to launch in the fourth quarter of next year.
Currently there are 100 existing types of pre-packaged food and drinks meeting government standards of low sodium and sugar.
This includes 65 types of sodium-free or low-sodium food, such as yoghurt and dried fruits, and 38 types of food including soya milk and biscuits that are free from or low in sugar.
“The government is encouraging the [adoption of] our labels. When the scheme is rolled out, these products can be involved immediately,” Chan said.
He added there would be four categories for the labels – “low sodium”, “no sodium”, “low sugar” and “no sugar”.
