Chile Provides a Convincing Case for Mandatory Warning Labels on Processed Food
Chile’s easily recognisable hexagonal warning labels – mandatory for products high in salt, sugar, saturated fat and calories – have had a real impact on consumer habits.

This World Food Day (16 October), Chile provides solid evidence that mandatory warning labels that target products with high salt, sugar, saturated fat and calories have reduced consumers’ appetite for unhealthy products.

Worldwide, countries are grappling with diets increasingly composed of ultra-processed products, which are associated with obesity and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs). 

The proliferation of these highly processed, additive-rich products is accompanied by the food and beverage industry’s onslaught of inescapable marketing, with much of it directed at children.

In this rapidly changing global food environment, Chile’s progressive food policy offers new insight. Through the introduction of a comprehensive policy that instituted both front-of-package labeling regulations and marketing restrictions, Chile has continually demonstrated that policy can profoundly influence consumer behavior and improve public health.

Passed in 2016, the Law of Food Labeling and Advertising, included the introduction of mandatory, black octagonal front-of-package nutrient warning labels alerting consumers to products high in sugar, salt, saturated fat and calories; marketing restrictions aimed at protecting children from pervasive food marketing and bans on the sale of ultra-processed products in schools. 

Earlier evaluations of Phase 1 have demonstrated significant decreases in purchases of products high in ‘nutrients of concern’ as well as a 73% drop in Chilean children’s exposure to TV for regulated food and beverages.

In the years since its passage, Chile’s law has provided a roadmap for similar global healthy food policies for public health researchers, advocates and policymakers.

Growing evidence that warnings work 

New research published in PLOS Medicine from the University of Chile and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill showed in Phase 2 of the nutrient warning label law, Chileans are purchasing significantly less sugar, salt, saturated fat and calories. 

Researchers found that households bought 37% less sugar, 22% less sodium, 16% less saturated fat and 23% fewer total calories from products with warning labels. These figures indicate that when consumers are equipped with clear, accessible information, they can make healthier choices.

Results from Phase 2 of the nutrient warning label law (Global Food Research Program at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill)

They also confirm what was seen by researchers after the first phase of Chile’s law – that people bought fewer items high in nutrients of concern – and these changes were even more pronounced in Phase 2. 

Critically, the data showed that these changes were equitable across socioeconomic groups – a collective win for all Chileans.

The impact of these labels goes beyond mere numbers. They serve as vital tools for empowering individuals to take control of their health in a food environment often dominated by marketing tactics designed to entice consumers toward less healthy, ultra-processed options. 

By mandating that products high in sugar, sodium, saturated fat and/or calories carry bold warning labels, the Chilean government is not just informing consumers; it’s shifting the narrative around food consumption.

A second new study published in the American Journal of Public Health examined adherence to the mandatory front-of-package labeling provision of Chile’s historic food policy. 

In the final and most nutritionally strict phase of the law, a remarkable 94% of products required to display these labels had the appropriate labels. The results of this mandatory policy represent a stark contrast to the significantly lower uptake of voluntary labeling programs in countries like Australia and New Zealand.

This compliance showcases the effectiveness of mandatory policies—when regulations are clear and enforcement is robust, industries have no choice but to adapt.

Increased knowledge shifts social norms  

These two new studies further support the efficacy of Chile’s 2016 Law of Food Advertising and Labeling. The country has seen improvements in the nutritional quality of its food supply, a development that could better the dietary quality of the population. 

Additionally, increased knowledge about food and drinks with warning labels and shifting social norms helps consumers to make healthier choices. Furthermore, these changes have been accompanied by drops in children’s exposure to harmful food marketing, due to the law’s stringent marketing restrictions.

These impressive strides have led to newer health initiatives in Chile. Recent measures expanding warning labels to alcoholic beverages that disclose calorie counts and feature safety information indicate a commitment to tackling health issues from multiple angles.

Chile’s actions have also sparked a wave of similar initiatives for other countries looking to improve their food environments and the health of their citizens.

Throughout the Americas, eight similar policies requiring black ‘stop sign’ warning labels on foods and beverages high in nutrients of health concern were rapidly adopted, mirroring Chile’s efforts. This trend demonstrates a growing recognition that health policies can, and should, prioritize public well-being over corporate interests.

In August 2021, Argentina introduced front-of-pack warning labels for ultra-processed food products.

Mandatory labels are most effective

Global health governing bodies are taking notice. To address diet-related diseases and create enabling and supportive food environments in more countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) recently released its draft guideline on nutritional labeling policies for comment. (The deadline for comments was 11 October.)

The key tenets of the Guideline include a strong recommendation for front-of-package labeling policies and the implementation of interpretive front-of-package labels. 

WHO’s leadership and action on this issue are commendable, and their draft guideline will be an incredibly helpful blueprint for member states in formulating and implementing these policies.

However, drawing from Chile’s evidence, the Guideline could be strengthened. The evaluations of Chile’s policy clearly demonstrate the necessity of mandatory front-of-package labeling systems featuring nutrient warning labels, which have been shown to be the most effective in helping consumers identify unhealthy products. 

Research has shown that Chile’s law’s mandatory regulations can be directly linked to the policy’s observed impacts – both the decline in purchases of unhealthy products and high rates of compliance. 

The lessons are clear: evidence-supported public health policies can lead to significant changes in consumer behavior, improve nutrition and, ultimately, enhance population health.

Yet, while Chile has made impressive strides, the work is far from over. Public health experts and policymakers are working to build on these early achievements to address other issues like access to affordable, fresh fruits and vegetables and the influence of social media marketing on children.

In an era where convenience supersedes health, Chile’s commitment to enacting decisive policies that support consumers in making healthier choices in their daily lives offers a path forward. 

It’s a reminder, especially in light of World Food Day 2024’s theme, “Right to foods for a better life and a better future,” that informed choices lead to healthier lives—and that policy can be a powerful tool for change.

Lindsey Smith Taillie, PhD, is an associate professor in the Department of Nutrition at the Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She is a nutrition epidemiologist focused on designing and evaluating healthy food policies.

 

Image Credits: CIAPEC-INTA, Global Health Policy Incubator .

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