Thailand’s coffee giants to halve default sugar levels in major health drive
From 11 February, "normal sweetness" at brands like Café Amazon and All Café will be capped at 50% sugar to combat the rise of non-communicable diseases
- Major Thai coffee chains, including Café Amazon and All Café, are partnering with the Department of Health to halve the sugar content in their default "normal sweetness" beverages.
- The initiative is a public health measure designed to combat non-communicable diseases by using "Nudge Theory" to make a lower-sugar option the standard.
- This new 50% sugar cap brings a standard drink within the WHO's recommended daily sugar limit of 6 teaspoons.
- The policy change also aligns with Thailand's "Sugar Tax," helping to regulate freshly brewed drinks and allowing operators to reduce costs.
- Customers who prefer the original sweetness can still request the 100% sugar recipe.
From 11 February, "normal sweetness" at brands like Café Amazon and All Café will be capped at 50% sugar to combat the rise of non-communicable diseases.
High-street coffee chains across Thailand are set to undergo a radical transformation next week as the Department of Health launches a new nationwide standard for freshly brewed drinks.
Beginning 11 February 2026, any customer ordering a "normal sweetness" beverage will automatically receive a drink containing only 50% of the original sugar recipe.
The initiative, a collaboration between the Ministry of Public Health and nine major industry players—including Café Amazon, Inthanin, All Café, Black Canyon, and Punthai—aims to curb the escalating rates of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) amongst the Thai population.
The measure employs "Nudge Theory," a concept from behavioural economics that subtly influences consumer choices by changing the "default option."
By making a lower-sugar recipe the standard, health officials hope to habituate consumers’ palates to reduced sweetness without alienating them with a total ban on sugar.
According to the Department of Health, the decision aims to shift the standard to what the body can actually handle.
Under the new 50% cap, a standard 16oz cup of fresh coffee or Thai milk tea will contain approximately 3.3 to 3.7 teaspoons of sugar.
This brings the beverage well within the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommended daily limit of 6 teaspoons.
The timing of the campaign is not coincidental.
It aligns with the newest phase of Thailand’s "Sugar Tax," which remains a significant revenue stream for the Excise Department, with a 2026 collection target of 578.2 billion THB (approx. $17.1 billion).
While bottled "Ready-to-Drink" beverages are easily taxed based on sugar content per litre, freshly brewed drinks have historically been more difficult to regulate.
This partnership acts as a policy mechanism to address that gap.
For operators, the move is a strategic "survival" tactic; halving sugar and syrup usage reduces variable costs while maintaining retail prices, thereby protecting profit margins against rising tax pressures and raw material inflation.
For those with a particularly sweet tooth, 100% sweetness remains an option upon request, but the Department of Health hopes that as the "default" changes, so too will the health of the nation.
