UGANDA – Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) stakeholders at the Food packaging and labeling workshop agreed that it is important to equip MSMEs with the knowledge and tools to implement effective food labelling practices to create a healthier and more sustainable food system that benefits both consumers and businesses.
In the recent workshop organised by the FAO, experts and stakeholders convened to address the critical issue of poor packaging and misleading nutrition labels in the food industry.
Participants discussed strategies to strengthen the role of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in improving the food environment by adopting better packaging and labelling standards.
FAO representative in Uganda, Dr Antonio Querido, said food packaging and labelling can help nurture healthy eating habits and lifestyles through population education for informed food choices, as well as inform food regulations.
He added that nonregulated food environments expose populations to unhealthy diets that increase their risks of related diseases and mortalities thus compromising the consumer’s health and well-being.
The Global Nutrition Report 2020 shows that Uganda has made little improvement in achieving the diet-related targets and by 2016; about 24% of adult females and 9% (15-49 years of age) males were still obese.
One primary factor driving the increase in obesity is the contemporary food environment, characterised by the growing availability, accessibility, affordability, and marketing of highly processed foods high in saturated fats, trans-fats, sugars, or salt.
Substandard food packaging, labelling, and inadequate consumer information have contributed to the widespread availability of fast, convenient foods in urban areas that are excessively high in salt, free sugars, saturated fats, and trans fats.
Dr Antonio Querido explained that standard food labelling and food advertising can guide the food industry on product reformulation, while at the same time, providing consumers with relevant information and skills to inform their decisions and choices in a rapidly changing food environment.
“Without proper nutrition education, communication, and adequate food packaging and labelling of such foods, consumers cannot make better-informed decisions regarding access to healthy and safe food,” he said.
Food packaging labels are a vital bridge between food producers, sellers, and consumers, facilitating effective communication and information exchange.
These labels, Dr Antonio Querido added, serve as a primary tool for conveying essential information about the nutritional content, ingredients, and safety of food products.
According to WHO, nutrition labelling includes nutrient declarations, which should be mandatory for pre-packaged foods and defined nutrients; and supplementary nutrition information, including front-of-pack labelling (FOPL).
FOPL should also provide convenient, relevant and readily understood nutrition information or guidance on food packs, to assist all consumers to make informed food purchases and healthier eating decisions. An additional benefit is to stimulate favourable compositional changes to food products.
According to the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), MSMEs are the primary culprits regarding packaging and labelling violations posing pose challenges of inadequate labelling, misleading health claims and promotion of unhealthy foods.
Nonetheless, MSMEs are central to Ugandan food systems as they process raw materials and manufacture fortified, nutrient-dense foods.
