Far East: How Indonesia Is Using Nutri-Level Labels to Fight Diet-Related Disease
easy design life
In April 2026, as part of a broader effort to address rising rates of diet-related diseases, Indonesia introduced a new nutrition labeling system for beverages. This policy comes at a time when the country has seen tremendous increases in conditions such as diabetes, stroke, and kidney failure, driven in part by high consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and other ultra-processed drinks. According to data collected from the International Diabetes Federation in 2024, 11.3% of adults in Indonesia have diabetes. The figure is around 20.4 million people, making Indonesia one of the countries with the highest diabetes burden globally. For people aged around 60, the prevalence rate of diabetes reaches around 24%. Additionally, in Indonesia, stroke has become widespread as the single largest cause of mortality, closely tied to diet-related risk factors.
According to Taruna Ikrar, the head of the National Food and Drug Authority (BPOM), 73% of deaths in Indonesia are caused by non-communicable diseases, higher than the global average. Taruna believes that these causes can be more effectively prevented if sugar, salt, and fat are consumed within recommended limits.
Policy Review
With a population exceeding 280 million and increasing consumption of processed foods, improving dietary transparency has become a central policy priority. As a result, under a ministerial decree, the government launched the “Nutri-Level” system aligned with recommendations from the World Health Organization. The most unique aspect of the system is the introduction of front-of-pack labeling, aiming to guide individuals’ healthier food choices.
The Nutri-Level system classifies beverages into four categories – A, B, C, and D – based on their content of sugar, salt, and fat per 100 milliliters. A (dark green) stands for “low levels of sugar, salt, and fat.” B (light green) stands for “relatively healthy.” C (yellow) stands for “moderate levels.” D (red) stands for “high levels.”
The Nutri-Level is mandatory to appear on all relevant consumer touchpoints: Physical menu boards, printed menus, retail, single-serve packaging, brochures, banners, flyers, digital commercial app menus, online ordering platforms, leaflets, and any other consumer-facing information media.
Implementation
In Indonesia, there are approximately 1.7 million food and beverage businesses, complicating policy implementation. Thus, the policy is introduced in stages, and the initial stage focuses on non-alcoholic, ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages. The decree specifically identifies popular formats such as boba, pulled tea, palm sugar milk coffee, and packaged juices.
This policy will greatly affect coffee chains, bubble tea operators, and franchise brands, because the obligation extends beyond the product label. For instance, as digital menus and third-party delivery platforms are widely used nowadays in Indonesia, the whole design and system of products are required to go through changes.
There are several mandatory labeling rules to be followed. To begin with, the Nutri-Level label must appear in a location that is clearly visible and readable, with specific color formats and design specifications. Additionally, the label must not cover the brand name or other critical product information. Furthermore, grade C and D products face expected restrictions on marketing aimed at children. This rule was developed based on research findings that children are especially susceptible to advertising and persuasive marketing techniques. As an outcome, under the Nutri-Level policy, beverages graded C or D face tighter marketing controls, particularly in advertisements directed at children.
On April 6, 2026, the BPOM Head signed the revised draft regulation for the Nutri-Level system, and the Ministry of Health formally launched it on April 14, 2026, through Minister of Health Decree No. HK.01.07/MENKES/301/2026. During this transitional time, while some companies see little incentive or beneficial aspects to adopting this decree, several brands treat this regulation as an invitation to reformulate, realign their marketing, and build trust with Indonesian consumers. For example, Nestlé Indonesia reduced the sugar content of Milo by 25%. Meanwhile, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Indonesia has committed to reducing sugar across its Indonesian beverage portfolio, and the company asserted that it would not advertise directly to children under 13 years old.
Impacts
An important reason for this label system design is that the color and categorization are highly visually intuitive. When customers are purchasing, they can quickly identify and interpret nutritional value themselves. Importantly, products receiving lower grades (C or D) are subject to stricter requirements, including mandatory front-of-pack display and potential marketing restrictions. The policy initially targets beverages such as bubble tea, milk coffee, and fruit juices, with plans to expand to broader food categories in the future.
Indonesia’s Nutri-Level system was directly inspired by Singapore’s Nutri-Grade, which was implemented and became mandatory in 2022. However, the specific nutrient standards, label design specifications, and marketing restriction details differ. Singapore’s Nutri-Grade focuses primarily on sugar and saturated fat content, while Indonesia’s Nutri-Level evaluates based on a combination of sugar, salt, and fat levels. Moreover, the label designs are very different. Singapore’s labels use a simple black-and-white format, whereas Indonesia’s system incorporates more visible color-coding, putting a stronger emphasis on visual accessibility and influence to help consumers quickly interpret nutritional quality at the point of purchase.
In the end, Indonesia's Nutri-Level labeling system is a major shift in the country’s perspective and approach to public health and food regulation. More importantly, it is a powerful act to encourage healthier consumer choices and address rising prevalence of diabetes, stroke, obesity, and kidney disease linked to excessive sugar consumption.