According to the official, here reality is a function of what the evidence tells us, so I want to be very transparent. There are hexagonal and octagonal seals that show a degree of evidence. If the study shows that these are the best seals, then we will have to take measures,” added the official.
He also stated that before the end of Iván Duque’s government, the results of an independent study will be known and technical decisions will be taken based on the users.
There are already some food packages with circular warning seals, in accordance with resolution 810 of the Ministry of Health, despite the fact that different social organizations have requested octagonal seals.
However, the debate that has been generated in several instances is that after the resolution was issued in the Congress of the Republic, a law was issued that modified some guidelines. Among them, it was requested that the front seals be chosen based on the best scientific information, which according to the civil society are the octagonal seals.
With almost 10,000 signatures collected, the Sweet Poison campaign presented a petition to the Ministry of Health requesting the acceleration of the implementation of Law 2120.
The 2021 Law aims to provide adequate information (Article 5) to consumers on products high in sugar, sodium, calories, fat and other components of ultra-processed foods so that they can make an informed decision.
This information must be presented in black octagonal seals on the front of the product with a specific space, as approved in the law. The Ministry of Health must issue the corresponding resolution for the production companies to design the new packages of this type of food.
However, before the law was approved, the Ministry of Health issued Resolution 810 of 2021, which established a regulation on the seals (Article 32), different from the one approved in the law, which at the time was denounced by the promoters of front labeling as a trap to the norm. Now, the portfolio would pretend to enforce that resolution, instead of the law.
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