We acknowledge the funding of the manuscripts published in this Research Topic by Instituto Brasileiro de Defesa do Consumidor (Idec) through their project with the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI). We hereby state publicly that Idec or GHAI have had no editorial input in articles included in this Research Topic, thus ensuring that all aspects of this Research Topic are evaluated objectively, unbiased by any specific policy or opinion from these organizations.
Brazil – Nutrition labeling: defined deadline for using old labels
Anvisa published, on 10/09, Resolution of the Collegiate Council (RDC) 819/2023, which specifically amends RDC 429/2020. As a result, the stock of containers and labels acquired by companies is allowed to be used up before October 8 of this year. These materials may be used until October 9, 2024.
The Agency’s decision considered, above all, the impacts of the pandemic on the food sector, including imbalances in the logistic supply chain, as well as the variation in the purchasing power of Brazilians and the consequent impact on the consumption of products.
It is important to note that DRC 819/2023 allows the use of only the existing stock of containers purchased up to October 8. Any and all packaging purchases made after October 9 of this year must comply with the provisions of RDC 429/2020 and Normative Instruction (IN) 75/2020.
Article – Nutritional labeling: its expression in the Mexican context
Introduction: Food is a process that carries implicit socio-cultural elements in a specific historical moment. The changes in the diet caused an increase in problems of obesity and Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases in Mexico. Measures have been taken through public policies that seek to reduce the effects of the consumption of foods with high energy value, one of them is the nutritional labeling of foods.
Development: As the first axis, a sociohistorical reconstruction is developed around food labeling in Mexico as an initiative that is part of an international public policy to present nutritional infor- mation for the selection and consumption of food. In a second moment, an analysis is carried out from a critical position on the implementation and exercise of decision-making for the consumption of said products, since it is subject to a complex network of sociocultural and individual factors that determine and are determinants of styles. and frequency of consumption of the products.
Conclusions: The new labeling with nutritional information is an information tool for the selection in food consumption to face the problem of overweight and obesity in Mexico. However, eating habits and practices respond to sociocultural and economic elements that are above healthy lifes- tyles and a culture of prevention. It is necessary to build and promote community participation-action that promotes tools such as nutritional labeling to make its objectives effective.
Brazil – Published RDC No. 818 on health requirements for tabletop sweeteners and dietary sweeteners
The National Health Surveillance Agency – (ANVISA in Portuguese) has published DRC No. 818 on health requirements for table-top sweeteners and dietary sweeteners.
In the case of products subject to this Resolution whose labels have already included the front nutritional labeling declaration, a period of 24 (twenty-four) months is established, counted from the date of entry into force of this Resolution.
Article – Effects of front-of-package caffeine and sweetener disclaimers in Mexico: Cross-sectional results from the 2020 International Food Policy Study
Objective:
Front-of-pack warning labels introduced in Mexico in 2020 included disclaimers that caution against allowing children to consume products with non-sugary sweeteners and caffeine. We examined the awareness and use of the disclaimers among Mexican adults and youth one month after the regulation was implemented. We also investigated their impact on the perceived healthfulness of industrialized beverages designed for children.
Design:
Data on the awareness and use of the disclaimers were analyzed. Two between-subjects experiments examined the effect of a sweetener disclaimer (Experiment 1, youth and adults) or a caffeine disclaimer (Experiment 2, only adults) on the perceived healthfulness of industrialized beverages. Interactions between experimental conditions and demographic characteristics were tested.
Setting:
Online survey in 2020.
Participants:
Mexican adults (≥18 years, n=2,108) and youth (10-17 years, n=1,790).
Results:
Most participants (>80%) had seen the disclaimers at least rarely, and over 60% used them sometimes or frequently. The sweetener disclaimer led to a lower perceived healthfulness of a fruit drink (Adults: 2.74±1.44; Youth: 2.04±0.96) compared to the no-disclaimer condition (Adults: 3.17±1.54; Youth: 2.32±0.96) (t’s:>4.0, P-values: <0.001). This effect was larger among older adults and male youth. The caffeine disclaimer did not affect adult’s perceived healthfulness of a caffeinated drink (t=0.861, p value=0.3894).
Conclusions:
There was high awareness and use of the sweeteners and caffeine disclaimers shortly after the warning labels were implemented. The sweetener disclaimer appears to be helping consumers modify their perceptions regarding industrialized beverages for children. Findings may help decision-makers improve the regulation and better target communication strategies.
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