🔥 Trending Sri Lanka Issues New Gazette on Sugar Content Labeling for Beverages

Sri Lanka's government has recently issued an Extraordinary Gazette Notification that significantly tightens the regulations for colour-coded sugar labelling on liquid food products ¹⁴⁸. These amendments, issued by Health and Mass Media Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa under Section 32 of the Food Act, No. 26 of 1980, aim to reduce the sugar content in beverages and promote healthier choices among consumers ⁴⁷.

Key Amendments and New Thresholds

The revised regulations introduce stricter thresholds for the colour-coded labels, which indicate the sugar content per 100 millilitres of a beverage ¹⁶. The previous thresholds have been lowered to reflect a more stringent approach to sugar levels.

• Red Label (High Sugar): Beverages containing more than 8.0 grams of sugar per 100 millilitres must now carry a red label ⁶. This indicates a high sugar content.
• Amber Label (Medium Sugar): Drinks with sugar content between 2.5 and 8.0 grams per 100 millilitres will display an amber label ⁶. This signifies a moderate sugar level.
• Green Label (Low Sugar): Beverages containing less than 2.5 grams of sugar per 100 millilitres will be marked with a green label ⁶. This denotes a low sugar content.

These new thresholds represent a tightening of the previous limits, making it easier for consumers to identify products with excessive sugar ¹.

Design and Display Requirements

In addition to the revised sugar content thresholds, the new gazette also introduces updated design and display requirements for the colour-coded labels ².

• New Alternative Logo: A notable change is the introduction of an alternative logo specifically designed for glass bottles ²³. This addresses the challenge of limited printing space on glass containers, ensuring that the labelling requirements can be met across various packaging types ².
• Implementation Provisions: The gazette also extends implementation provisions for existing bottles, providing a transition period for manufacturers to adapt to the new labelling standards ³.
• Exemptions: Certain business-to-business (B2B) food products have been exempted from these specific labelling requirements ³.

Context and Impact

The tightening of sugar labelling rules is part of a broader effort by the Sri Lankan government to combat non-communicable diseases and improve public health ¹⁵. Studies, such as one by the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS) in May 2026, have highlighted that while existing sugar tax and traffic light labelling systems have helped reduce demand for sugary drinks, policy gaps limit their full impact ⁹¹⁰. These new amendments aim to address some of those gaps by making the labelling system more effective and easier for consumers to understand at a glance.

The revised regulations are expected to encourage manufacturers to reformulate their products to contain less sugar, ultimately contributing to a healthier population in Sri Lanka ¹⁵.