In February 2026, 9 leading coffee chains in Thailand have committed to reducing the standard sugar content in selected beverages by 50% under a government campaign designed to address excessive sugar intake.
The Health Department has triggered an alarming notice that on average, Thai consumers take in 21 teaspoons of sugar daily, far exceeding WHO’s recommended limit of 6 teaspoons. This will exacerbate national health issues relating to obesity, diabetes and other illnesses.
Amporn Benjaponpitak, Director General of the Health Department, described the campaign as the first meaningful effort to reshape consumer behavior regarding sugar consumption. Latest statistics showed that 45% of Thais aged 15 years and above are obese, while 10% of the country’s population is living with diabetes.
In addition, a recent survey by the Bureau of Nutrition showed that a 650 ml iced coffee contains an average of 9 teaspoons of sugar; while a 300ml bubble milk tea can contain up to 12 teaspoons.
Nevertheless, implementing the campaign will be challenging as the authorities have mentioned that each brand has the flexibility to decide on how to apply the initiative. Customers meanwhile are confused over their preferred sweetness level and the amount of sugar in each level. In general, according to the campaign, default sweetness for iced coffee and tea drinks have been reduced by half, with customers who ordered ‘normal’ sugar level to receive a drink that is significantly less sugary than in the past.
The 9 coffee chains in this campaign include Café Amazon, Black Canyon, Punthai Coffee, Inthanin and All Café amongst others.
