Starting April 8, 2025, Taipei City will officially roll out its free milk and soymilk distribution program to all elementary school students across the city, followed by an expansion to preschool pupils on April 14. This initiative is part of a broader public health push by the Taipei City Department of Education to improve childhood nutrition and reduce barriers to healthy dietary choices.
🧃 What Is the Program About?
The policy entitles each eligible student to one free milk or soymilk drink per week, which they can collect at any of six participating retail chains using their student EasyCard. The goal is to ensure growing children, especially in urban environments where dietary patterns may not always include regular dairy intake, receive consistent nutritional support.
🎯 Program Objectives:
- Improve children’s access to calcium-rich beverages
- Support bone health and overall nutrition
- Reduce childhood consumption of sugary drinks by offering a healthy alternative
- Normalize the presence of dairy in children’s diets through routine access
- Encourage health-conscious behaviors in families
🛒 Participating Retailers
Children and their parents can redeem the weekly free drink at:
- 7-Eleven
- FamilyMart
- Hi-Life
- OK Mart
- PX Mart
- Simple Mart
This wide retail network ensures geographic coverage throughout the city and convenience for busy families.
🧑🎓 Who Is Eligible?
- Elementary school students in Taipei
- Preschool pupils aged 2 and above (from April 14)
- Must be enrolled in schools within Taipei City limits
Not Eligible:
- Children studying in Taipei who reside outside the city
- Taipei-registered children attending schools outside Taipei
- Students in international schools within Taipei
📅 Redemption Rules and Duration
- Redemption limit: Once per week
- Deadline each week: Sunday by 11:59 p.m.
- Missed weeks DO NOT roll over
- Program runs during the academic year only (40 weeks)
- Not available during summer or winter breaks
📲 How Does It Work?
Students use their student card, which is linked to an EasyCard (Taipei’s stored value card system used for transit and purchases), at checkout. This method makes the process seamless and traceable, and removes the need for paper coupons or complicated reimbursements.
Parents can also redeem the drink on behalf of their children using the student’s EasyCard.
📈 Policy Impact: Why It Matters
🧬 Nutritional Importance:
Nutrition experts have consistently pointed to calcium and protein as essential components of a child’s development. Yet many children in Taiwan do not consume adequate dairy or dairy alternatives. This program could bridge that gap by ensuring weekly access to a fortified milk product without burdening household budgets.
🏫 Social Equity:
The initiative also serves a social function — helping underprivileged families provide nutritious drinks for their children without needing to navigate stigmatizing welfare programs. Every child gets the same benefit, leveling the playing field.
🧐 Additional Commentary & Concerns
While the program has been broadly welcomed, some nutritionists suggest the government should also consider options with reduced sugar content, especially for soymilk varieties that may contain added sweeteners.
Retail logistics also pose challenges — ensuring product availability across all branches and managing redemptions within the set timeframe may create hiccups in the initial weeks.
Still, the Taipei City government is being lauded for using existing infrastructure (EasyCard) and partnering with private businesses to administer a public health initiative — a smart, scalable strategy.
📝 Final Thoughts
Taipei’s new weekly free milk program stands out as a forward-thinking policy that integrates nutrition, technology, and public-private collaboration. It’s not only about milk — it’s about setting up lifelong habits of healthy consumption while using digital tools (like the EasyCard) to create frictionless experiences for families. If executed well, this model could serve as a blueprint for similar programs across other Taiwanese cities or even internationally.
📌 FAQs
How do I know which drinks are eligible?
There are 13 milk products and 15 soymilk products approved for this program. A list will be displayed at participating retailers and on the Taipei Education Department’s website.
Can I redeem more than one drink per week if I have multiple children?
Yes, each child can redeem one drink per week using their individual EasyCard.
What if I forget to redeem this week’s drink?
Unfortunately, the benefit does not roll over to the next week. You must redeem it by Sunday at 11:59 p.m.
Can a student use someone else’s EasyCard to redeem?
No. Only the registered student card can be used for redemption.
Are international school students in Taipei included?
No, students attending international schools are not eligible, even if they live in Taipei.
