Chile implements compulsory warning labelling regulation

July 30th, 2015

he Chilean Ministry of Health published on 26 june new regulations for the labelling of food products intended for consumption by children under 14 years. The regulation will enter into force 12 months after date of publication. Food products that exceed specified limits of sodium, sugar, energy or saturated fats will be required to use black stop signs with the legend “High in salt, sugar, energy or saturated fat”, one stop sign for each nutrient that exceeds the limits.

Compared with positive front-of-pack logos such as Choices, the Chilean warning system is compulsory and communicates a negative message. The criteria are not product group specific and, remarkably, food products with naturally (not-added) high amounts of fat, sugar and/or salt are exempt of this regulation. For the implementation of this regulation food producers can follow three phases of reformulation: the enforced date, 24 months after enforcement and 36 months after enforcement.