Abu Dhabi: Some of the UAE's most familiar dairy products are about to get a little less sweet.Two of the most recognisable dairy brands, Al Ain Farms and Marmum Dairy, have pledged to cut added sugars by 10 to 20 per cent across a range of everyday products in time for the back-to-school season in September 2026.The products being reformulated include flavoured milk, yoghurt and laban from both brands, which are household staples across the UAE, the parent company of the two brands, Al Ain Farms Group (AAFG), said in a press release.Why the changeThe group’s move is part of Abu Dhabi's Healthy Living Strategy, a joint government and private-sector effort to make healthier food options more accessible in everyday life.AAFG said the reformulation was developed in close collaboration with Healthy Living and the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council (QCC), and forms part of a broader push to improve the nutritional profile of widely consumed foods without altering the taste or quality that consumers expect."We want to ensure that healthy, nutritious food is within everyone's reach – because eating well should be easy for all," said Dr Ahmed AlKhazraji, Executive Director of Healthy Living."Improving everyday food is one of the most effective ways to support healthier living at scale. Through this reformulation commitment, Al Ain Farms Group is demonstrating real leadership – showing how local food manufacturers can play a meaningful role in strengthening healthy food infrastructure while preserving choice and quality,” he said.The reformulation is one of 28 strategic initiatives currently underway under the Healthy Living umbrella.Back to school, less sugarAAFG had already launched a new healthy product range in April 2026. The reformulation of existing products follows that, with updated versions of the flavoured milk, yoghurt and laban lines expected to be available in September, timed to coincide with children returning to school.Group CEO Hassan Safi said the move reflects a wider commitment to responsible product development. "This step represents a groupwide commitment to continuously improve the nutritional profile of our dairy products that our consumers know and love. We're focused on combining new product innovation with progressive reformulation across our existing portfolio to make healthier choices more accessible, without compromising on taste and quality," he said.Al Ain Farms was founded in 1981 by the Father of the Nation, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. AAFG today produces 350 million litres of dairy annually, with around 22,000 cows raised on local farms in facilities designed for the UAE climate.Sugar tax The announcement comes as the UAE has moved to reshape its sweetened drinks landscape through tax policy. Since January 1, 2026, the country replaced its long-standing flat 50 per cent excise tax on sweetened beverages with a tiered system that links duty directly to sugar content, charging more for drinks with higher sugar levels and exempting those below a certain threshold.The reform has already begun to shift what consumers pay on supermarket shelves, with lower-sugar and diet drinks becoming cheaper and some high-sugar products moving higher in price. Health authorities have positioned the changes as part of the UAE's broader strategy to reduce non-communicable diseases linked to excessive sugar consumption.While AAFG made no direct reference to the new tax framework or reduced prices in its announcement and flavoured dairy products fall under a separate dairy exemption within the excise system, the direction of travel is the same: less sugar in products that millions of UAE residents consume every day.Health-first pushEng Abdulla Hassan Al Muaini, Executive Director of the Central Testing Laboratory at QCC, welcomed the commitment. "This aligns with our shared goal of ensuring that consumers can make informed choices without compromising on quality or taste," he said.Healthy Living has indicated it will continue working with both government bodies and private sector partners to shape food environments that make healthier choices easier, particularly for children and young people, who face the greatest long-term health risks from high sugar intake.