Belize – BBS proposes that Belize 1: Part 3:2024 (Revised) Specification for Labelling Part 3: Labelling of Prepackaged Foods be declared a mandatory Standard

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The Belize Bureau of Standards proposes to recommend to the Standards Advisory Council that the following draft standard – Belize 1: Part 3:2024 (Revised) Specification for Labelling Part 3: Labelling of Prepackaged Foods declared a compulsory Standard.

The standard for prepackaged foods has been revised to align with current labelling trends and in an effort to prevent fraud and deception arising from misleading labelling, as well as to provide adequate information to the consumer or user of prepackaged foods. Changes include language requirements to recognize product labels in Spanish; addition of nutritional facts declaration as a core requirement; and emphasis on allergen labelling. It is intended that all manufacturers, importers, distributors and other entities engaged in the production and or trade of pre-packaged foods in Belize shall comply with the requirements of this standard. Furthermore, it is expected that this standard will assist Belizean producers in meeting the labelling requirements of regional and extra-regional markets.

DBZS-1-Part-3-201X_Labelling-of-Prepackaged-Foods-compressedDownload

Argentina – Milei’s government and the Republican Proposal party join forces to eliminate Front Food Labeling

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The Law for the Promotion of Healthy Food, known as the Front Labeling Law, is under scrutiny by the government of Javier Milei. According to reports, modifications ranging from reducing the size of the black octagons on food packages to the complete repeal of the law, enacted in 2022 during Alberto Fernández’s term of office, are being analyzed.

The law, which seeks to warn about the excess of sugars, fats and sodium in ultra-processed products, has generated resistance since its implementation, especially among small and medium-sized companies, due to the additional costs of adaptation. Alejandro Bongiovani, deputy of the Republican Proposal Party (PRO in Spanish), described the law as “a case of excessive state interventionism” which, according to him, affects both companies and consumers.

For further information, you can access the original source in Spanish

Colombia – Consumer organizations introduce bill to promote healthy eating measures

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FIAN Colombia, the Tal Cual Consumers Association, RedPaPaz and the José Alvear Restrepo Collective of Lawyers, together with other social organizations, presented to the Congress of the Republic the second Bill of a package of healthy measures that seek to advance the protection and guarantee of the human right to food for girls, boys and adolescents who live in the country.

The bill seeks to create Healthy School Food Environments based on real food to free educational territories from junk food and promote real food in these settings.

Bill on Healthy School Food Environments

This bill seeks to establish guidelines for the implementation of strategies that ensure adequate food and nutrition in Early Childhood Care Services, official and non-official educational institutions, as well as those directed to the System of Criminal Responsibility for Adolescents and the Administrative Process for Restoration of Rights.

Panama – PAHO supports advances in addressing nutrition-related noncommunicable diseases

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The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), together with the Ministry of Health (MINSA) and the Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama (INCAP in Spanish), successfully held the INCAP 75th Anniversary Commemorative Symposium. This event brought together national and international experts to discuss innovative strategies for the prevention of nutrition-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Panama.

In the Americas region, NCDs account for 80% of all deaths, of which one third could be avoided with appropriate preventive measures and healthy eating.

Increased consumption of industrial trans fats, especially when they exceed 1% of total energy intake, is linked to an increased risk of coronary heart disease and premature death. Likewise, cardiovascular diseases lead the statistics, and hypertension is one of its most prevalent risk factors, which is closely related to high sodium intake.

Chile – Nestlé files an appeal for protection against the decree that regulates a new message to promote healthy living in food advertising

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The Court of Appeals of Santiago admitted for processing an appeal for protection filed by Nestlé against the Ministry of Health, for Decree No. 24 which regulates the characteristics of the message that promotes healthy lifestyle habits in food advertising, which will enter into force on April 11, 2025.

Nestlé argues that the decree is of exclusive competence of the President of the Republic and that, being a regulatory norm, it has been issued outside the constitutional framework.

The appeal for protection questions the substantial modification of the advertising message on food products, changing from a phrase promoting “moderate consumption” to one prohibiting its consumption, without justification or prior public consultation.

It considers that the change in the legend of the products, from “Prefer food with less seals” to “Avoid its consumption”, is presented as arbitrary and without technical support. It adds that no studies were presented to justify the change, which seriously affects the constitutional rights of the companies that commercialize these products, which carry out legitimate economic activities under the regulations in force.