Incentives in New Nationwide Sodium-reduction Campaign to Shift Consumer Behaviour

34 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked 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.

Mr Ong Ye Kung: 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 the Committee of Supply 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 five years, from 3,600 milligrams in 2022 to 3,100 milligrams in 2026.