Soft nudge towards healthier choices

The Health Promotion Board is slowly and doggedly nudging Singaporeans towards healthy living. It does not believe in once-off campaigns, but instead works with suppliers and industry players to change social norms

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Walk past a bus stop and it is likely you will see an advertisement shilling fruit juice with less sugar. In supermarkets, the Healthier Choice logo is emblazoned on thousands of products. Bags of brown rice are prominent in the grains section.

Bubble tea shops give customers the option to choose how much sugar they want in their drinks. At some nasi padang places, customers can order dishes cooked with healthier oil and choose wholegrain over white rice. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, it is possible to buy mooncakes with less sugar.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on April 28, 2019, with the headline Soft nudge towards healthier choices. Subscribe