Indonesia is facing a growing challenge of overweight and obesity. The 2023 National Health Survey indicates that 23.4% of adults over 18 years old are obese, a significant increase from 15.4% a decade ago. Another survey in 2023 shows that 17.6% of adolescents aged 13–17 are overweight. One of the key factors behind this rise is the increasing consumption of packaged foods and drinks that are high in sugar, salt and fat.
As more packaged foods and drinks become available, it can be difficult for consumers to know which products are healthier. Although nutrition information is often available on the back of packaging, many people do not notice it when making purchasing decisions, and those who do may find the information difficult to understand.
To help address this problem, the World Health Organization (WHO) has supported the Government of Indonesia in introducing front-of-pack nutrition labelling (FOPL), which places simple nutrition information on the front of food and beverage packaging. These labels enable consumers to quickly identify healthier options without having to interpret detailed nutrition tables. It is a proven public health intervention that helps consumers make healthier choices and encourages manufacturers to improve the nutritional quality of their products. Front-of-pack labelling is a WHO best buy, a cost-effective measure for reducing noncommunicable diseases.
Since 2023, WHO has provided technical support and advocacy to the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Indonesia Food and Drugs Authority (BPOM). This included training on nutrition labelling and policy discussions involving experts from Sri Lanka, India and Australia.
A major milestone was achieved in 2024. Working with MoH and BPOM, WHO’s advocacy and technical assistance in drafting the regulation contributed to the inclusion of front-of-pack nutrition labelling articles in Government Regulation No. 28 of 2024, the implementing regulation of the 2023 Health Law. This created the legal basis for introducing nationwide mandatory front-of-pack nutrition labelling.
WHO continued to support MoH and BPOM throughout 2025 and 2026 as they developed the regulations needed to put the policy into practice. This support contributed to the issuance of two key policies on Nutri-Level, Indonesia’s front-of-pack nutrition labelling system. The first one is MoH Decree No. 301 of 2026, which is voluntary for ready-to-serve beverage producers. The second policy is the BPOM Regulation No. 10 of 2026, which will be mandatory for processed packaged beverage manufacturers in two years.
Under this system, beverages are graded from A to D based on their sugar, salt and fat content. Grade A indicates the healthiest option, while Grade D indicates the least healthy option. The labels will be displayed on beverage packaging, restaurant menus and digital food-delivery platforms, allowing consumers to see important nutrition information quickly and easily.
WHO will continue to support MoH and BPOM in implementing the policy through technical guidance, while advocating for further strengthening of the policy to make the MoH scheme mandatory and implement front-of-pack nutrition labelling to other food categories. WHO will also support evaluation of its effectiveness to guide future policy improvement.
As Nutri-Level labels begin appearing across the country, millions of Indonesians will have a simple tool to make healthier choices every day. By making nutrition information easier to understand, the policy will contribute to deliver a healthier future for generations to come.
Written by Dina Kania, National Professional Officer (Policy and Legislation), WHO Indonesia