Extension of Advertising Ban for Unhealthy Food

Ms Faizah Jamal asked the Minister for Health in light of recent measures to ban advertising of unhealthy food to children, whether the ban will be extended to include the installation of fizzy drink vending machines in schools.

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Mr Gan Kim Yong: I am happy to inform Ms Faizah that we have already been providing guidelines on the sugar content of drinks dispensed by vending machines in schools through the Healthy Eating in Schools Programme (HESP).

HESP, introduced in 2003, provides schools with a set of healthier food service guidelines so that students and staff will have convenient access to healthier food and beverage choices. Commercially-prepared sweetened drinks offered in vending machines or sold in canteens in participating schools must have the Healthier Choice Symbol (HCS) logo. Drinks under the HCS programme contain less sugar than similar drinks. In addition, to discourage students from consuming sweetened drinks, participating schools are expected to have two drinking water coolers within the canteen area to provide an even healthier option. We intend to step up our efforts with schools to encourage students to consume water instead of sweetened drinks.

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My Ministry will continue to study and implement a range of initiatives designed to encourage a healthier eating habit amongst our children and youth, and review existing practices, including the installation of vending machines offering sugared drinks in our schools, to ensure that our efforts remain effective and relevant.

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