KUALA LUMPUR: Any beverages containing more than 10g of sugar per 100ml under the Nutri-Grade grading system will be banned from advertising on all platforms, says Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
The Health Minister said the ministry was developing the mandatory Malaysian Nutri-Grade system, which focuses on the total sugar content in beverages.
“The implementation of this grading system takes into account the need to amend the Food Act 1983 and the Food Regulations 1985.
“This system will be implemented in phases, beginning with ready-to-drink products and subsequently extending to beverages prepared at sales premises (freshly prepared).
“Through the implementation of the Nutri-Grade, beverages categorised as Grade D (>10g total sugar/100ml) will be prohibited from being advertised on any platform,” he said in a written reply published on Monday (Oct 27).
Dzulkefly said the move would encourage the beverage industry and operators to reformulate products to reduce sugar content.
Dzulkelfy also compared the move with countries such as Australia and New Zealand, which implement front-of-pack nutrition labelling based on the assessment of various nutrient components.
“This is aligned with the findings of the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2024, which indicate an increase in sugar intake among adults and adolescents, where almost half of total free sugar consumption is derived from beverages,” he said.
The Kuala Selangor MP mentioned that the country presently uses a voluntary front-of-pack labelling system called the Healthier Choice Logo (HCL).
“The HCL uses multiple nutrient component criteria depending on the product category.
“As of October 2025, 1,002 food and beverage products have received Healthier Choice Logo recognition,” he said.
In August,
Dzulkefly announced the Nutri-Grade grading system back in August. At the time, he also suggested that products deemed unhealthy could be placed in special sections of supermarkets, similar to how non-halal items are currently separated, to increase consumer awareness.
