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Prices Caution: 3 out of 4 'cheap' foods will have black labels with the labeling law

2021-02-05T13:25:34.510Z


It's because they exceed the limits for calories, sodium, fat, and sugars that are considered healthy. It was calculated by nutritionists, who ask for more healthy options in the agreement.


Martin Grosz

02/05/2021 6:00 AM

  • Clarín.com

  • Society

Updated 02/05/2021 9:49 AM

On the one hand, officials negotiate with manufacturers and supermarkets so that hundreds of food and beverages maintain attractive prices for several months, so that

more people can access

them.

On the other hand, the same State obliges these companies to include warnings on the packaging of these products to

discourage their consumption

, considering that they are

harmful to health

.

In this curious contradiction, the Government will be immersed if in the coming weeks the project of "Promotion of Healthy Eating" is finally converted into law, which already had half approval from the Senate in October 2020 and which now awaits to be dealt with in Deputies.

This is an initiative that would force the incorporation of

black stamps

 with warning messages on the front of the packaging of the least advisable products from a nutritional point of view, provided they have an

excessive

content

of certain critical nutrients.


What is striking is that, among some

330 foods and beverages

from 16 categories present in the new list of Care Prices -including those of beef added this week-,

3 out of 4 exceed the limits

for calories, sodium, saturated fat, fat total and / or sugars considered healthy by the frontal labeling project, which is based on parameters of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

Thus, if the law is passed unchanged, most of today's "careful" priced groceries will carry 

at least one

black deterrent

stamp

on their packaging.

And several, even 

three or four

brands.

This was determined by a study

exclusively

accessed by

Clarín

, prepared by nutritionists from the Center for Studies on Food Policies and Economics (CEPEA) and the Chair of Economics of the Nutrition career of the Argentine Catholic University (UCA).

The products on the list are well marked on the gondolas and must be sold at the agreed value.

Photo German García Adrasti

"If the criteria proposed by the initiative were applied,

75% of the products

on the list would have at least one black warning octagon," concludes the report, led by

Sergio Britos

, nutritionist and director of CEPEA. 

Which ones would be "escrachados"?

For example, various

sodas and juices 

should be stamped "

EXCESS IN SUGARS,

" according to nutritionists.

And the

sweet

cookies

would be left with 

four

black

octagons

: one for having too many calories, another for sugar, another for total fat and one more for saturated fat.

In the case

of tomato puree

, they calculate, the warning would come from being high in sodium.

And the same will be true for the

packaged

breads

of the agreement, which would also be required to carry a brand for going over saturated fat.

"

Yogurts and

chocolate

milks

would have warnings for excess sugar and saturated fat. And

cheeses

 would carry stamps for sodium, for total fat, for saturated fat and for calories," Britos explained to

Clarín

Criticism for the lack of healthy options

In the five years of debate on the labeling law, the industry always rejected the black stamp system that finally advanced, known as the "

Chilean model

" because it has been used in that country since 2016. Although companies admit the need to improve nutritional information, criticize the proposed system for

"demonizing"

products instead of better "informing" about them.

And they consider that the initiative sets nutrient caps

too demanding

.

From an academic point of view, the authors of the study on Care Prices would also have preferred another system and believe that

a very high bar

will be set 

, which will lead - they anticipate - in the "punishment" of various foods whose consumption is really needed. encourage (including dairy products such as yogurts and cheeses, legumes and some baked goods).

In other countries in the region, such as Chile and Mexico, the black stamp system is already used.

However, experts also question

whether healthy options are in the minority

on the agreed list

.

In their opinion, not 75%, but

55%

of the 330 foods and beverages analyzed

would deserve at least a warning seal

.

"They are mostly

processed meats

, sausages, cookies and non-whole grain breads with excess sodium, biscuits, flour premixes also with excess sodium, broths, sweet cookies, alfajores, ice cream, sodas and juices, snacks, sweets, sweet desserts, jams, butter, cream, dressings, sugar and salt ", Britos listed.

The Care Prices and their nutritional quality

When applying criteria of the Dietary Guidelines for the Argentine Population (GAPA) of the Ministry of Health of the Nation, what the CEPEA research determined is that only

31%

of the Care Prices are of

high

nutritional

quality

, that is, whose consumption It is recommended daily (vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole grains, meats and eggs, fish, milk, yogurt and cheeses, oils, water).

On the other hand,

27%

 of the list corresponds to

medium

quality options

(farinaceous and starchy).

And 

42% are of low quality:

 sweets, very fatty foods and other products whose consumption should be

only occasional

.

Against this, in a healthy diet, 66% of what is ingested should be of high quality, 20% of medium quality and no more than 14% of low quality.

"In Care Prices clearly lack more variety of legumes; cookies, bread, rice and whole wheat noodles; lean cuts of beef; fresh fish; more fruits and more vegetables," added Britos.

Among the cuts of beef that were incorporated into Precious Care, many have a percentage of fat content.

Photo Juano Tesone

By relaunching the Care Prices last month, the Government had anticipated these criticisms.

The Secretary of Internal Trade, Paula Español, remarked that the main objective is to establish "

reference prices

" in the market.

"Hopefully we can change this basket into increasingly healthy consumption, but

it is not the role of the Ministry of Internal Trade

," he told

Telam

.

"It is understood that it is not a program with healthy nutrition objectives - points out the report of nutritionists - but it is still paradoxical (the scarce variety of healthy foods on the list), in a context in which the Malnutrition due to excess (

overweight and obesity

) is the most widespread disease in the population (

58% of the total population

) and the low quality of diet (more than two thirds of the population) its main determining factor. "

"The existence of Priced Care should not be contradictory with a subprogram of '

careful quality

', which expands agreements that facilitate the offer and an outstanding exhibition to more legumes, cereals and whole by-products, and eggs; that it continues the path of expansion and diversification in dairy products, and that it stimulates the clear identification of seasonal fresh foods (and cheaper) in local shops ", they propose.

More on the topic: Opinion: How to evolve from Care Prices towards a policy to improve nutrition

The 7 keys to the labeling project that already has half a penalty

The bill for the Promotion of Healthy Eating, which has already been partially sanctioned, would bring relevant changes in the way food is advertised and sold in the country.

The keys to the text in analysis are:

Scope

.

It obliges all those who manufacture, sell or import packaged food and non-alcoholic beverages in the Argentine Republic. 

Warnings

.

It will be mandatory to include, on the main face of the container, a stamp for each critical nutrient that the product has in excess, according to PAHO guidelines.

Each message will report "excess" sugars, sodium, saturated fat, total fat, and / or calories.

Notorious stamps

.

They must occupy at least 5% of the surface of the front of the container and cannot be covered by any other element of the

packaging

.

In turn, they must be black octagons with white borders and letters, in capital letters. 

Sweeteners

.

If the product uses them, under the seals it must include a legend that says "Contains sweeteners, not recommended for children."

The same notice obligation will apply to foods and beverages with caffeine.

Exceptions

.

The only products that should not bear stamps on the main face of the container are: common sugar, vegetable oils, nuts and common table salt.

In schools, no

.

Food with black stamps or cautionary warnings may not be sold at kiosks in elementary or high schools.

Limited advertising

.

Products that bear at least one black stamp may not show the endorsement of any scientific society or civil association.

Nor can they encourage the purchase by including child or famous characters, games or promotions.

Nor can they be advertised if they are aimed at children and adolescents.

MG

Source: clarin

All life articles on 2021-02-05

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