Why Singaporeans Are Cutting Back on Sugar - and Rethinking Sweetness at Home

Singapore - [January 2026] - Singapore's long-running efforts to reduce sugar consumption have reshaped everyday beverage choices, with lower-sugar options now widely accepted as the norm in cafés and kopitiams. Initiatives led by the Health Promotion Board, including the adoption of "siu dai by default" practices, have encouraged food and beverage operators to serve coffee and tea with less sugar or condensed milk as the standard.

As a result, lighter sweetness levels have become a familiar part of daily consumption. This increased exposure has coincided with greater attention to sweetness levels in home-prepared drinks, where consumers have more control over ingredients and quantities.

Home preparation and ingredient control

With lower-sugar beverages increasingly standard outside the home, consumers preparing drinks at home are paying closer attention to how sweetness is added. Beverages such as tea, warm water, and coffee are commonly prepared without fixed sweetness levels, allowing individuals to determine both the amount and type of sweetener used.

Rather than removing sweetness altogether, industry observations suggest that consumers are moderating intensity, particularly for drinks consumed daily. This reflects a broader focus on balance and control rather than elimination.

Sweeteners considered more deliberately

As attention shifts from default sweetness to choice, sweeteners are increasingly evaluated for their role in flavour rather than sweetness alone. Smaller quantities are often used to achieve balance, especially in beverages where taste and aroma are more noticeable.

This change has led to greater scrutiny of pantry ingredients that were previously treated as interchangeable. Items such as coffee, tea, oils, and sweeteners are more frequently considered based on origin, flavour characteristics, and suitability for everyday use.

From sweetness decisions to ingredient awareness

As consumers become more attentive to how sweetness fits into daily routines, awareness around ingredient differences has increased. This has contributed to greater familiarity with categories that offer variation by source, processing, and flavour - including honey.

Honey remains a familiar household ingredient in Singapore, but increased access to information about provenance and taste has broadened awareness of different honey varieties. Rather than signalling a uniform shift in consumption, this reflects growing engagement with ingredient choice at the point of use.

Observed shifts within specialty honey selections

Jarrah honey, a monofloral honey sourced from Western Australia, is one example of a variety that aligns with this more measured approach to sweetness. Known for its deep colour and balanced flavour profile, Jarrah honey is commonly used in beverages such as tea or warm water, where sweetness is added sparingly.

Honey contains natural sugars and is not positioned as a sugar-free alternative. Its relevance in this context relates to usage - measured quantities selected for flavour rather than intensity.

Based on full-year 2025 data, The Honey Colony observed increased interest in specialty honey varieties within its own customer base. Year-to-date sales of its Ultra Jarrah honey were more than four times higher compared to the same period previously. While this reflects first-party data rather than broader market trends, it indicates growing consumer engagement with lesser-known honey varieties for everyday use.

Industry perspective

According to Raphael Brunner, founder of The Honey Colony, public health initiatives have reshaped expectations around sweetness.

"The widespread adoption of 'siu dai' has changed how people think about sweetness," said Brunner. "What we're seeing is that this awareness carries into home preparation, where consumers are more deliberate about how sweetness is added and which ingredients they choose."

As Singapore continues to normalise reduced sugar consumption, everyday habits around sweetness are evolving alongside it. The emphasis is increasingly on moderation, awareness, and informed ingredient choices rather than restriction.

The observations referenced in this release are drawn from first-party data and industry monitoring by The Honey Colony (thehoneycolony.com).

Media contact: Name: Cristina Torres
Title: Marketing & Partnerships Manager
Email: marketing@thehoneycolony.com
Full Postal Address: 1100 Lower Delta Rd, #01-02A EPL Building, Singapore 169206

The Honey Colony is a small, family-run business bringing premium Australian honey to Singapore, working closely with producers in Tasmania and South-West Australia to source raw, unprocessed honeys that reflect their floral origins. Its curated range includes varieties such as Jarrah, Red Gum, and Leatherwood, selected for everyday use and gifting, with each jar minimally processed to preserve the natural character of the honey and the landscapes it comes from.

More information is available at thehoneycolony.com.

This release was published on openPR.