Non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and obesity are becoming increasingly prevalent among younger and younger populations. In an effort to combat this issue, the Ministry of Health and Belize Bureau of Standards are collaborating to develop a new labeling standard. These new front of package labels would warn consumers about the harmful ingredients in the products they buy, similar to the warning sign on cigarette packs. This legislation is still in the works, and members from the business community were invited to take part in a sensitization consultation. We went to the meeting to find out more...
Jose Trejo - Director, Belize Bureau of Standards
"Today we're actually presenting to the business sector a draft Caricom regional standard that is actually being worked on right now. This standard is a labeling standard for prepackaged foods. One of the important things about this standard is that it has been a recent addition to the work that we're doing at a regional level on front package labeling. The front of package labeling is a little bit more I think, will be a little bit more challenging in terms of its implementation at the regional level, simply because it's a requirement now, or it would be a requirement once the standard is passed at the regional level and approved. It would require then for packaging of food to then identify with - to specifically label food that is high in calories, foods that are high in saturated fat, sodium and what have you. So, that would be a specific requirement of the labeling. SO it's in addition to what would be the nutrition and those additional things that are on the labeling itself."
Reporter:
"Is the objective, I mean we know that cigarettes packaging now says a health hazard, but it's really bold. Is that what you're looking at when it comes to products and package labeling?"
Jose Trejo
"Well that's the intention. I mean it's a health issue. Let me add that this is a standard we are working on at the regional level, but it has collaboration from other international agencies such as PAHO and WHO. It is not necessarily just a standard we at the regional level are trying to develop, trying to collaborate with international agencies. But that's ideally the issue here. Looking at health and safety. We know we have challenges at the national level as it relates to health and so it's really to try and make a decision as to whether or not we chose to import goods that are health and not only to do that, but to identify with goods that are high sugars and so on. So, that is important for the consumer to be able to make a decision as to what he or she would choose to consumer. Now that's a choice. We have to make those healthy choices and so that's one of the things we are hoping to come out of this initiative."
As Trejo said, even if there are labels on goods, it is always up to the consumer to make the right decision when it comes to buying healthy foods.
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