Incheon City Leads Sugar Reduction in Bakeries...Securing Citizens' Health Rights and Revitalizing Local Markets

Incheon City Hall

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] Incheon City is the first in the nation to launch a sugar reduction project targeting bakery bread products.

The city announced on the 19th that, to promote balanced nutrition among citizens, it will start a sugar reduction project this year to reduce the sugar content in a single serving (70g) of bread products to less than 3g.

The project will support sugar reduction technology for about 20 individually operated bakeries in the region, excluding large franchise stores and department store outlets operated by major corporations. Incheon City's strategy aims to achieve both securing citizens' health rights and revitalizing local small businesses.

The participating bakeries by district are 9 in Namdong-gu, 3 in Seo-gu, 2 each in Yeonsu, Bupyeong, and Gyeyang, and 1 each in Jung-gu, Dong-gu, and Michuhol-gu. The Incheon branch of the Korea Bakery Association will provide education on the necessity of sugar reduction and technical support such as cooking methods to lower sugar content for these businesses.

Additionally, the city will support display shelves for exhibiting low-sugar bread and related hygiene supplies, and assist in promotion and marketing by introducing the businesses through various media such as Incheon Tourism Organization’s Incheon Tour and district websites.

The reason Incheon City is promoting the sugar reduction project is due to the high rates of diabetes diagnosis and obesity among Incheon citizens.

According to the 2021 regional health statistics released by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, the diabetes diagnosis rate among those aged 30 and over in Incheon was 9.8%, the highest among the 17 metropolitan cities and provinces nationwide. This is the highest figure since 2018. The obesity rate (self-reported) is also the highest among the 17 cities and provinces at 34.5% in Incheon.

A city official stated, "This sugar reduction project, which lays the foundation for the distribution of healthy bread, will not only secure citizens' health rights but also provide an opportunity to enhance the technological competitiveness of small bakeries."

Meanwhile, the sodium reduction project that Incheon City has been promoting since 2010 currently involves 435 participating locations this year, with an average compliance rate of 95% over the past five years.

The city conducts biannual inspections on the maintenance of standard salt levels for menu items at sodium reduction practice establishments (0.6% for childcare facilities and kindergartens, 0.7% for general restaurants and corporate cafeterias), and establishments exceeding the limits face cancellation of designation based on the results of the second inspection.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.