Scratch & Win contest launched to get S’poreans to reduce sugar intake

SINGAPORE — The next time you buy a drink with less sugar at a Kopitiam or pick up bubble tea with reduced sugar level at Gong Cha, you could stand a chance to win prizes such as vouchers from electronics, shopping mall and supermarket brands.

The Health Promotion Board (HPB) announced today (Oct 11) that it is launching a Scratch & Win contest with the aim to reduce sugar intake among Singaporeans.

The contest, in partnership with coffee shops, food courts, hawker centres and food kiosk chains, will be held across nearly 800 outlets. HPB aims to have 1,000 participating outlets on board the contest by December.

Sweetened drinks have been identified as a source of empty calories, contributing 200 calories or about 10 per cent of the average daily caloric allowance, the HPB said.

Individually, Singaporeans currently consume, on average, 20 kg of added sugar per person per year, with the top 20 per cent consuming approximately 35 kg of added sugar a year. A major source of sugar is sweetened drinks - 60 per cent of Singaporeans consume two or more sweetened drinks a day. 

As part of the contest, every purchase of a qualified reduced or no sugar drink entitles participants to a scratch and win card, where they can win prizes including vouchers from electronics, shopping mall and supermarket brands, and rebates on the next purchase of a reduced or no sugar drink.

The full list of participating outlets is available at www.drinkhealthy.sg.

The HPB also announced plans to “partner major drink manufacturers to increase the availability of reduced or no sugar drinks as well as water products in community, schools and workplaces”.