ultra-processed foods

Article/Brazil – Promotion of ultra-processed foods in Brazil: combined use of claims and promotional features on packaging

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OBJECTIVE: To assess the availability of different promotional strategies applied for UPF sales in Brazilian food retailers.

METHODS: Information available on food packaging was gathered from all packaged products sold in the five largest food retail chains in Brazil in 2017. UPF were identified using the NOVA food classification system. From this sample, data related to promotional characteristics, nutrition claims and health claims were collected and coded using the INFORMAS methodology. Additional claims referring to the Brazilian Dietary Guidelines were also collected.

RESULTS: This study evaluated the packaging of 2,238 UPF, of which 59.8% presented at least one promotional strategy. Almost one third denoted a simultaneous use of different promotional strategies in the same packaging. Nutrition claims were the most commonly found promotional strategy, followed by health claims and the use of characters. The food subgroups comprising the highest prevalence of promotional strategies on their labels were: noncaloric sweeteners (100.0%), breakfast cereals and granola bars (96.2%), juices, nectars and fruit-flavoured drinks (92.9%), other unsweetened beverages (92.9%), and other sweetened beverages (92.6%).

CONCLUSIONS: Considering the poor nutritional quality of UPF, the widespread presence of promotional features on their packaging highlights the need for marketing restrictions on this kind of product.

1518-8787-rsp-57-44Download

Article – Study on the regulatory process for the labeling of ultra-processed foods: the Colombian case

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This journal article describes from a characterization of Law & Journalism the scenario of institutional weakness
experienced by Colombia regarding the labeling of ultra-processed foods, evidencing a field where there were no
rules of the game, which had a structural impact on the regulatory system, that is, a section of the regulatory
framework (legal and regulatory) focused on protecting the right to health, safeguarding consumer sovereignty and,
in short, satisfying the general interest of a population immersed in a context of market failures. In this sense, this
article proposes a preliminary review from a narrative and theoretical-descriptive perspective and through a historical
account, if we consider the recent changes in the Colombian normative-regulatory model.

RJ&D+2033+(1)Descarga

Article – Reformulation of Top-Selling Processed and Ultra-Processed Foods and Beverages in the Peruvian Food Supply after Front-of-Package Warning Label Policy

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Front-of-package warning label (FOPWL) policies incentivize the food industry to reduce the content of regulated nutrients in products. We explored changes in the content of nutrients of concern (sugar, saturated fat, trans fat, and sodium) and the percentage of products in the Peruvian food supply that would carry a FOPWL before and after Peru’s implementation of FOPWLs. Longitudinal data on the top-selling foods and beverages (n = 94) were collected at three time points: three months before the implementation of the policy, four months after, and two years after. Using the nutritional information declared on products’ labels, we compared quantities of nutrients of concern and the percentage of foods that would carry a FOPWL at each time point. Between the first and the third data collection, a decrease in the median sugar content of beverages was observed (from 9.0 to 5.9 g/100 mL, p = 0.005), accompanied by an increase in the use of nonnutritive sweeteners. This change drove the reduction of the percentage of beverages that would carry a FOPWL (from 59 to 31%, p = 0.011). Among foods, decreases were observed in saturated fat (from 6.7 to 5.9 g/100 g, p = 0.002). The percentage of foods that would carry a FOPWL according to their nutritional profile declined from before to after implementation of the policy (from 82 to 62%, p < 0.001). The study shows that the industry reformulated products in Peru after implementation of its FOPWL policy.

ijerph-20-00424Descarga

Colombia – New tax rates for ultra-processed foods and sugar-sweetened beverages in tax reform bill proposed by the new government

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The announced Tax Reform Project for Equality and Social Justice of the Government of Gustavo Petro arrived at the Congress of the Republic.
Among the new sources of money for the State would be taxes on sugary drinks and ultra-processed foods, as well as on single-use plastics and sources of carbon pollution.

Sugar-sweetened beverages and soft drinks would be taxed according to sugar content in grams per 1000 milliliters of beverage. In other words, the more sugar, the more expensive the product will be. This measure is expected to accumulate 1.02 trillion pesos.

In the case of ultra-processed foods, which include sausages, snacks, sweets and powders for preparations, a tax of 10% of the total cost is proposed. With this measure it is estimated to collect at least 1.09 trillion pesos, but it is intended more for the potential adverse effects they have on the health of Colombians. The percentage of GDP with this tax would be 0.15%.

For further information, you can access the original source in Spanish
REFORMA_TRIBUTARIA_2022Descarga