Labeling, advertising and sanctions contemplated by the healthy eating law – 2024-02-29 21:06:40

Health

Labeling, advertising and sanctions contemplated by the healthy eating law

Provisions of the Healthy Eating Promotion Law would apply to the labeling of all prepackaged foods, and the Ministry of Health must create informative guides.

In the Congress of the Republic, the approval in third reading of the Law for the Promotion of Healthy Eating is being discussed this Thursday, February 29, which aims to protect the right to health through “creation of a legal framework that promotes healthy eating”in order to reduce premature mortality and disability caused by chronic non-communicable diseases.

The provisions of this law are applicable throughout the national territory. Applies to the labeling of all prepackaged foods offered to the consumer.

Among the reasons for the creation of the law, it is mentioned that the State must ensure that the food and nutrition of the population meets the minimum health requirements, and because the issue of overweight and obesity in childhood, adolescence and the population in general is of concern. which leads to chronic diseases.

What must be fulfilled

The regulations establish that the Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance will be responsible for keeping the healthy eating guides for the population updated. You must also develop specific dietary guides for children, with materials that allow them to be used in primary level educational establishments.

The Ministry of Health must carry out information and advertising campaigns by all available media that promote healthy eating habits.

Seals

The law emphasizes that the function of the nutritional warning seal on the front of the packaging of any product is to warn the consumer of the high or excessive content of critical nutrients or the presence of sweeteners and trans fats.

Any food that contains four or more nutritional warning seals will be prohibited from advertising and promotion aimed at those under 18 years of age to attract their attention.

Advertising

• As part of these regulations, the use of marketing techniques for a product that has the following characteristics is prohibited:
• That generate a stimulus to immoderate or excessive consumption.
• That misleading nutritional benefits are promoted such as obtaining strength, popularity, a feeling of superiority or exclusivity when consuming them, or inferiority or discrimination when not consuming them.
• That suggests that an individual is more intelligent, generous, and caring when purchasing or providing a product.
• That promotes its consumption through cartoons, comic or children’s characters (whether famous or created), sports athletes and characters or that includes recreational activities such as painting, collecting or other associated activities.
• Sponsorship of sports, social and similar teams or activities.
• The law mandates that the nutritional warning seal must be applied on a mandatory basis on all prepackaged foods that are marketed in the country and that exceed the critical nutrient criteria established in this law.

Sanctions

Whoever fails to comply with the provisions of this law will be sanctioned by the Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance with fines between twenty 20 and three hundred 300 minimum wages in force at the time of the violation. In the event of a repeat offense, the penalty will be doubled and if non-compliance persists, the Health Registry will be cancelled.

• For the lack of veracity or exclusion of the stamps, a penalty of 100 to two hundred 200 minimum wages will be issued.
• Due to the total lack of stamps on the labels, 100 to 200 minimum wages.
• For violation of the regulation of advertising, promotion and sponsorship, a penalty of 100 to 300 minimum wages will be issued.
• The directors or managers of public and private educational establishments, including those of higher education, who fail to comply with the provisions contemplated and affected by this law, will be sanctioned with 5 to 20 minimum wages.
• The directors or managers of governmental, non-governmental, autonomous, semi-autonomous, health-related institutions that fail to comply with the provisions will be sanctioned with 5 to 20 minimum wages.