Cost concerns, consumers' response weigh on F&B operators’ minds despite support for HPB's lower-sodium campaign

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SINGAPORE — Consumers’ response to taste changes, as well as business costs in the midst of an uncertain economic climate, were the key concerns among several food-and-beverage (F&B) operators, after the Government’s latest call to shift towards using lower-sodium salt alternatives in food preparation.

However, eight industry players approached by TODAY — including hawker stall owners, restaurants, the catering services association and a multi-brand F&B holding company — were unanimous in their support for such a move to tackle the soaring prevalence of hypertension that is tied to high blood pressure.among the population here by 15 per cent over five years.

She has not tried to buy low-sodium salt herself yet, but a cursory check on major supermarket websites found that regular salt sold at under 50 cents for a 500g pack. In contrast, a smaller, 350g pack of lower-sodium salt costs seven times as much at about S$3.50. On the other hand, Ms Anna Lim, co-founder of The Soup Spoon, said that salt forms a small part of the restaurant chain’s recipes and so, the cost difference “should not be so impactful”.

HPB also offers a Healthier Dining Grant, which helps operators defray up to 80 per cent marketing costs to promote their healthier menu options, and a Healthier Dining Innovation Grant, which covers some costs related to developing healthier recipes. “Even if you don’t use lower-sodium salt, and instead you add more of the other ingredients to make up for reducing salt and sauces, that adds to the costs yet again,” she said.Whichever way that operators choose to go, consumers’ receptivity to either a change in taste or prices would be closely watched.

On the one hand, consumers will need to be convinced that it is in their interest to pay more for ingredients that are better for their health.

 

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HPB aims to replace at least half of salt in market with lower-sodium alternatives, as hypertension rises in SingaporeSINGAPORE — Healthier salt and seasoning products will be made more readily available to consumers, as part of the authorities’ latest effort to tackle the rising sodium intake among residents here as the prevalence of hypertension in the population continues to soar through the years.
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