Nonnegotiable Symbolic Value and Sugar-Driven Food Habits in Indonesia: Mixed Methods Study Using a Digital Sociological Approach

Background: The sugar market in Indonesia reflects the distinct consumer behavior shaped by economic and deeply rooted cultural factors. This study explores how symbolic values attached to sugar sustain persistent, often irrational or uncontrollable consumption, highlighting the need for a demand-side perspective in the economic sociology of sugar markets. Objective: This study analyzes the nonnegotiable symbolic value of sugar and its implication to uncontrollable consumption in Indonesia. Referring to the framework of product valuation in the social order of markets by Beckert, it offers insights into both the symbolic and material values of sugar. Methods: The applied method complements digital mixed method approaches used in prior research. Digital data from online news and YouTube were visualized through textual network analysis and social network analysis to describe the symbolic and material values of sugar. In-depth interviews with key actors and limited field observations on food and beverage labels were also conducted. Results: Findings reveal that the symbolic value of sugar increases significantly when processed into food or beverages, shaping food habits and habitus across diverse ethnic groups in Indonesia and reinforcing early dependence on sugar. Weak enforcement of labeling regulations on food and beverage packages further impedes shifts in consumer perceptions of the risks of excessive sugar consumption. Conclusions: This study contributes a demand-side perspective to the economic sociology of the sugar market, proposing strategies to address the sugar-driven food habits and habitus from the perspective of consumer behavior. Simultaneously, it assesses producer compliance with regulations on the sweetness level to reduce sugar consumption and the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases.