The research “Stop Focusing. Influencer marketing and advertising of unhealthy products aimed at children and youth in digital spaces”, conducted by the Coalition for a Healthy America (CLAS) and Young Leaders Program, indicates that it has been evidenced that the marketing of ultra-processed products has been a determinant in food choices.
Article – Efficacy of front-of-pack warning label system versus guideline for daily amount on healthfulness perception, purchase intention and objective understanding of nutrient content of food products in Guatemala: a cross-over cluster randomized controlled experiment
Front-of-package warning labels (FOPWL) have been adopted in many countries aiming at reducing the consumption of unhealthy food and drink products and have also been considered in Guatemala. The aim of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of FOPWL versus Guidelines for Daily Amount (GDA) on products’ healthfulness perception (HP), purchase intention (PI) and the objective understanding of the nutrient content (UNC) in Guatemala.
FOPWL reduces products’ healthfulness perception and purchase intention, and increases understanding of products’ nutrient content compared to GDA.
USA – FDA Issues Second Procedural Notice on Consumer Research on Front-of-Package Labeling
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a 30-day procedural notice on its plans to conduct a study entitled “Quantitative Research on Front of Package Labeling on Packaged Foods.” The study is a follow up to focus groups conducted in 2022 to further explore consumer responses to various front-of-package labeling schemes. As part of the Paperwork Reduction Act, federal agencies are required to publish a notice in the Federal Register on each proposed information collection to give the public the opportunity to comment.
The FDA is conducting this consumer research to help explore the development of a front-of-package labeling scheme, which is part of the National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, issued as part of the White House Conference held in September 2022 focused on ending hunger and reducing diet-related disease. Front-of-package labeling is intended to complement the Nutrition Facts label on packaged foods by giving consumers additional context to help them identify healthier food selections. A standardized, science-based scheme could help consumers, particularly those with less nutrition knowledge, quickly and easily identify foods that can help them build a healthy eating pattern. The experiences of countries worldwide that have adopted front-of-package labeling suggest that such labeling may help nutrition comprehension and the ability to make healthier choices.
USA – FDA Issues Draft Guidance on Dietary Guidance Statements on Food Labels
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is extending the comment period for the Draft Guidance for Industry entitled “Questions and Answers About Dietary Guidance Statements in Food Labeling” that appeared in the Federal Register on March 27, 2023. The new deadline for comments is September 25, 2023. The FDA is extending the comment period by 90 days in response to multiple requests from stakeholders to allow additional time for interested persons to develop and submit comments. Comments should be submitted to Regulations.gov and identified with the docket number FDA-2023-D-1027.
Peru – Congress sends to the Executive Power the Law that regulates the elaboration and commercialization of foodstuffs of special regimes for vulnerable populations
Law 1941 was sent to the Executive Power for its enactment. Next Tuesday, May 30 is the deadline for the Executive Branch to observe or publish the Law that allows baby formulas and dairy supplements not to carry the warning octagons that allow consumers to know if they are high in sugar, sodium, carbohydrates or other components harmful to health.
According to the glossary of terms contained in the initiative, special diet foods “are foods or beverages specially made or prepared to satisfy particular dietary needs determined by particular physical or physiological conditions and/or specific diseases or disorders and presented as such”.
This decision was made despite the fact that the current Healthy Food Law states that if foods meet or exceed the levels of sugar, sodium and saturated fats, they must bear the warning octagons.
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