The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), through its Standards Service, has granted clearance to update the study on the consumption of sugar in the country.
The initiative led by the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) will be implemented by the Philippine Statistical Research and Training Institute.
“It’s an SRA initiated study to update the last data done in 2016 yet. Total budget for the updating study is P7 million which will also help SRA and other related agencies in formulating basis for future policies,” SRA Administrator Paul Azcona said on Wednesday, March 12.
The survey seeks to generate a profile of the total consumption of various sweeteners in the domestic market, a press release from the PSA said.
The results of this survey will serve as inputs in determining the following:
*Classification of the type of consumers (i.e., households, business establishments, industrial users) for each type of sweetener;
*Identification of households’ preference for sugar (whether domestically-produced or imported); and
*Determination of the price level (i.e., price point or price range) at which households are willing to shift from one sugar type to another.
Overall, the findings from the survey will serve as a basis in determining the optimal volume of imported sweeteners in the market and will assist in crafting policies related to the expansion of the market of locally-produced sugar, the PSA said.
The survey will cover 2,760 households and 660 establishments, it said.
Data collection for the “Updating of the Consumption Study of Sugar in the Philippines” is scheduled in March 2025, with survey results expected to be released in May 2025.
The PSA encourages all sampled households and establishments to actively participate in the research study by providing accurate and truthful information for market trends and industry growth.*