The Results of Placing Warning Labels on Packaged Food
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The Results of Placing Warning Labels on Packaged Food

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Perla Velasco By Perla Velasco | Journalist & Industry Analyst - Tue, 10/18/2022 - 09:08

During a conference, Mexico’s Undersecretary of Prevention and Health Promotion, Hugo López-Gatell, shared that a year after the implementation of warning labels on food products, 80 percent of Mexico’s population recognizes the octagon-shaped labels. What is more, people let the labels that mark products with high amounts of fat, sugar or calories to guide their purchasing behavior of prepackaged products and non-alcoholic beverages, according to a study by the National Public Health Institute (INSP). He also stated that before the labeling of prepackaged food, two-thirds of cereals in the average supermarket contained high levels of sugar, but now only one-third do.

For López-Gatell, health reflects Mexico’s social framework and economic spending power, and he said that there is an overabundance in the offer of junk food. He added that major lessons were learned during the COVID-19 pandemic: Not everyone has the same capacities to confront a global pandemic, general health is strongly related to nutrition, chronic illnesses are a widespread issue and Mexico and obesity truly began to show its damage. “It would be populist to say that Mexico has brought about the right to quality food because in practice, there is no regulation to this end and, therefore, public policies on healthy eating are limited to apprehensive efforts.” Excess weight and obesity are linked to Non-Transmissible Chronic Diseases (ECNT). In Mexico, 35 percent of children and 77 percent of adults are overweight or have obesity, according to López-Gatell.

He also prompted the audience to uphold public policies that would improve the quality of life and discussed the necessity to provide access to food. Furthermore, López-Gatell championed policy proposals to eliminate toxic agrochemicals and make junk food less accessible, regulatory proposals led by MORENA lawmakers Ana Lilia Rivera and Margarita Valdés.

Prior to the enforcement of NOM-051 for warning labels on prepackaged food, a 2019 study concluded that Latin American parents “with low education levels and poor health conditions” as well as “parents with higher education levels” preferred Front-of-Pack (FOP) nutrition labeling over Traffic Light labels on packaged food. Another 2020 study predicted that FOP warning labels could reduce obesity rates and costs associated with it.

Alejandro Calvillo, Director, Power of the Consumer, applauded the implementation of the labels. He said that if the system is implemented correctly, this policy could reduce Mexico’s obesity cases by 1.3 million and save MX$1,800 million (US$90 million) in spending related to obesity, Televisa reported. Currently, Mexico is in the second phase of the NOM-051, during which products marketed towards kids have to remove any cartoon character, celebrity image or interactive element from advertisements if the contents are unhealthy.

Some companies opposed the measure to label products. The Supreme Court of Justice (SCJN) will analyze the petition to review the FOP labeling. Court Minister Yasmín Esquivel will oversee the review.

Photo by:   Twitter @SSalud_mx

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