Senator Dr. Eudócia (PL/AL) presented a bill that seeks to make mandatory the inclusion of warnings on the labels of ultra-processed foods, alerting consumers about the high carcinogenic potential of these products. The proposal amends Decree-Law No. 986 of 1969, which establishes the basic standards for food, and introduces the requirement that packaging must clearly and visibly display the warning: “High carcinogenic potential”.

The measure seeks to guarantee the consumer’s right to information, as provided for in the Consumer Protection Code (CDC), and seeks to increase transparency about the health risks associated with excessive consumption of these products, especially among children and young people. National and international scientific studies cited in the justification of the bill point to a direct relationship between the consumption of ultra-processed foods and the increase in the incidence of various types of cancer, with special emphasis on early stage colorectal cancer, whose increase has been worrisome among those under 50 years of age.