Why changed?
As there were no laws on this subject, it was common for some manufacturers to “disguise” some information that is harmful to health as a marketing strategy, making it difficult for consumers to read and understand the information on the labels.
A practical example is, a consumer who should reduce their sugar consumption, when going to the supermarket decides to buy a boxed juice, thinking it is a natural and healthy option, and the vast majority of these juices are industrialized with a high sugar content.
Consumers began to feel harmed by not being able to identify this information clearly and understand the impact on their health when consuming the products they were purchasing and that is why in October ANVISA determined these new rules.
What are the main changes?
Front nutritional labeling:
Products that have a high sugar, fat and/or sodium content must add the front magnifying glass on the front of the packaging in the upper part that is easy to see. Containing in a simplified way information about large amounts of nutrients that can harm your health, without having to flip the label.
Check out the models:
Products that exceed:
| High content of | Solid foods | Liquid foods |
|---|---|---|
| Added sugar | 15 g or more per 100 g of food | 7.5 g or more per 100 ml of food |
| Saturated fat | 6 g or more per 100 g of food | 3 g or more per 100 ml of food |
| Sodium | 600 mg or more per 100 g of food | 300 mg or more per 100 ml of food |
It is worth mentioning that the size of the front magnifying glass varies according to the label.
New nutritional table:
Another change that has a major impact on packaging is the change in the nutritional table. Check out the changes:
Nutritional information: information on total and added sugars (highlighted as red in the image above), of nutrients per 100g or 100ml (highlighted as blue B), the percentage of daily values provided by the portion (highlighted as brown C) and the number of servings per package (highlighted as green D).
Ingredient list: The nutritional table must be close to the list of ingredients, on the same surface, and cannot be divided or located in areas that are hidden, deformed or difficult to see. Except small packages, less than 100cm².
Colors and contrasts: The new rule determines that the letters in the table must only be black and the background must be white. The purpose of the change is to eliminate the chances of manufacturers choosing colors that could make information difficult to read.
Deadlines for adapting new labels:
| Adaptation period | Product types |
|---|---|
| October 9, 2022 | New products entering the market after 10/9/22 |
| October 9, 2023 | Foods in general that are already on the market. |
| October 9, 2024 | Food manufactured by a family farmer or rural family entrepreneur, solidarity economic enterprise, individual micro-entrepreneur, small-scale agroindustry, artisanal agroindustry and artisanally produced food. |
| October 9, 2025 | Non-alcoholic drinks in returnable packaging, observing the gradual process of replacing labels. |
Our conclusion about the changes:
This rule is beneficial and encourages consumers to have a culture of carefully evaluating the products chosen on the shelf and understanding how they impact their health.
While reducing the opportunity for “malicious manufacturers to camouflage” relevant information for greater profit.
The consumer has the right to information, and this nutritional labeling regulatory process defined by ANVISA is a necessary procedure, relevant to consumer safety and defense.
Source: ANVISA website
