Thailand’s Department of Health will introduce a nationwide standard for freshly brewed beverages next week, bringing a major change to high-street coffee chains across the country, The Nation reported.
From February 11, 2026, customers who order drinks with “normal sweetness” will automatically be served beverages prepared with only 50% of the original sugar content.
The move is part of a joint effort between the Ministry of Public Health and nine leading industry players, including Café Amazon, Inthanin, All Café, Black Canyon, and Punthai, to address the growing incidence of non-communicable diseases among the Thai population.
The policy is based on “Nudge Theory,” a behavioural economics approach that guides consumer decisions by adjusting the default choice. By making reduced sugar the standard option, health authorities aim to help consumers adapt to less sweetness without imposing a complete ban on sugar.
The Department of Health said the measure is intended to set a sugar level that aligns more closely with what the body can handle. Under the new guideline, a typical 16-ounce serving of fresh coffee or Thai milk tea will contain about 3.3 to 3.7 teaspoons of sugar, keeping it within the World Health Organisation’s recommended daily intake limit of six teaspoons.
The rollout also coincides with the latest phase of Thailand’s sugar tax, which continues to generate substantial revenue for the Excise Department and carries a 2026 collection target of 578.2 billion baht (approximately $17.1 billion).
