A sweet lie: How multinational brands are quietly feeding Pakistan’s kids into a sugar trap

Pakistan’s leading kids’ food brands are loaded with excessive sugar, masked as “healthy” with misleading ads. From Milo to Tang, these products risk fueling childhood obesity, diabetes, and addiction.

By MediaBites Desk | August 5, 2025

“I got back from Singapore last year. Walked into a store in Karachi with my daughter. It was hot. Milo was in the freezer. I bought it for her, took a sip… and froze. This isn’t the same Milo.”

This is the voice of a concerned Pakistani mother—one of many parents waking up to a quiet but growing public health crisis: the unchecked sugar content in popular children’s food products sold by multinational brands in Pakistan.

In Singapore, where this mother previously lived, even regular Milo tasted measured, not like the “sugar bomb” version she found in Pakistan. Intrigued and alarmed, she started investigating. What she found was staggering.

What Are Our Kids Really Eating?

These are snacks and drinks marketed with glowing health claims—”energy”, “mental sharpness”, “immunity”, “power of wheat and iron”. But peel back the label, and here’s what you’ll really find:

These aren’t small treats or cheat-day snacks. They’re daily lunchbox fillers pushed through TV, YouTube, and Instagram moms.
“My daughter points to the Gluco Teddy billboard every day on the way back from school,” says the mother.

Marketing Health, Selling Sugar

Let’s not kid ourselves. Sugar isn’t inherently evil. But when it’s disguised under the halo of “nutrition”—and served to a population that already has one of the highest diabetes rates in the world—it becomes not just irresponsible but dangerous.

In Pakistan, brands can easily get away with such practices. Unlike countries like the UK, Singapore, Mexico or Chile, there is:

• ❌ No front-of-pack warning labels
• ❌ No sugar or sodium caps for kid-focused products
• ❌ No regulation on marketing junk food to children

In contrast, in Singapore, you’ll see “Healthier Choice” logos guiding parents. In Chile and Mexico, warnings scream:
High in Sugar.” “High in Sodium.”

But here? We have ads turning glucose spikes into “energy to perform.”

The Psychology Behind It

Many of these brands rely on behavioural science and subtle manipulation. Just one exposure and the addiction begins, especially with children.

“And here’s the irony,” the mother notes, “the people making these ads? Their kids sip almond milk and eat organic oats. But 9 to 5, they’re slinging sugar to ours.”

The Bigger Picture: It’s 2025, Not 1995

We’re no longer in an era where clever jingles and mascots should excuse poor health ethics. True creativity today is being responsible, crafting food advertising as if your child will consume it.

Is it too much to ask?

A Wake-Up Call for Parents, Regulators & Brands

This isn’t just a rant. This is a call for reform:

• ✅ Enforce clear front-of-pack sugar warnings
• ✅ Ban misleading health claims in ads targeting children
• ✅ Educate parents through mass awareness campaigns
• ✅ Reward brands that promote truly healthier alternatives

We can’t afford to wait. Our children deserve better.

Final Word

“No food is bad, they say. It’s about balance. But this? This isn’t balance—it’s addiction in disguise.”

💬 Join the conversation:
Have you checked your child’s snack label today? Post your views with hashtag #SugarTrapPakistan