Front-of-Package Warning Labels to Help Persons Make Healthier Food Choices

The Government remains committed to introducing front-of-package warning labelling as a policy tool to support healthier food choices, says Director, Health Promotion and Protection in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Dr. Simone Spence.

However, Dr. Spence informed that no final decision has yet been made regarding the specific format that will be adopted.

“We are continuing to examine the evidence and engage stakeholders to ensure that whatever solution is chosen will be practical, effective, and aligned with our national health goals,” she said.

Dr. Spence was speaking at the launch of ‘Fix My Food Jamaica: Youth-Led Advocacy for Healthier Food Environments’, held at the Spanish Court Hotel in Kingston on June 5.

Jamaica is the first country in Latin America to launch Fix My Food (FMF), a United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)-led global youth movement.

FMF Jamaica, supported by BiteBack 2030, the Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network (JYAN) and Fi We Children Foundation is advocating for the introduction of front-of-package warning labels (FOPWL) and other policies to support healthier food environments.

Dr. Spence pointed out that children are consuming unhealthy diets, often marketed to them as appealing, while nutrient-rich options remain out of reach.

“Many are also physically inactive. The result? Increasing rates of childhood overweight and obesity and modifiable risk factors for the early onset of non-communicable diseases, like diabetes and hypertension,” she stated.

The Director pointed out that younger and younger persons are coming down with non-communicable diseases (NCDs), adding that 68 per cent of Jamaican students aged 13 to 15 drink carbonated beverages daily, and nearly half consume sweetened drinks two or more times per day.

“These patterns, driven by the aggressive marketing of ultra-processed, low-nutrient food and drinks, demand urgent attention, not just from policymakers but from all of us. This is why we’re so pleased with Cabinet’s approval of the National School Nutrition Policy, which sets a clear framework for improving school food environments, reducing salt, sugar, and harmful fats, and ensuring children are offered healthier options. But we know that school-based reform is simply not enough,” Dr. Spence said.

“We want to take advantage of the opportunity to act now, given the findings from the 2018 Obesity and Public Opinion Public Survey, which showed 83 per cent of respondents in support of policies for the provision of healthy foods and beverages in schools, and 78 per cent in favour of a ban on the sale of unhealthy foods and drinks in school, and gains from the Jamaica Moves in School programme,” she added.

Dr. Spence further noted that “the choices we make today will shape the health of future generations, and if we are serious about reversing the rise in NCDs, then we must continue to support campaigns like this one, which connect data with lived experience and policy with people”.

Meanwhile, Country Representative, UNICEF Jamaica, Olga Isaza, said Fix My Food is a good global UNICEF-led initiative that empowers young people to advocate for healthier food environments.

“In Jamaica, we are proud to see that 10 youth groups have come together to launch Fix My Food Jamaica, the first of its kind in the Latin American and the Caribbean region. At UNICEF, we firmly believe that every child has the right to good nutrition, to grow up healthy, and to reach their full potential,” Ms. Isaza said.

“However, we recognise that these rights are not realised by chance. They are achieved through deliberate policy, concentrated actions, and by listening to the voices of those most affected,” she added.

Ms. Isaza noted that in Jamaica, there is an alarming rate in childhood, overweight, obesity, and non-communicable diseases, while adding that these trends are not merely statistics.

“They are indicators of systemic failures in Jamaica’s food environments. While the scientific evidence is clear, the implementation of effective solutions often faces delays. Extensive research, including the ones conducted in Jamaica, has demonstrated that octagonal warning labels, are a highly effective tool in guiding healthier food choices,” she said.

She further noted that evidence from a recent study carried out in Jamaica by the Ministry of Health and Wellness, the University of Technology, and the Pan American Health Organization across nine parishes concludes that the black octagonal warning labels outperform the traffic light and magnifying glass icons in helping consumers to correctly identify the harmful products.

She said it is equally well established that children and their families are significantly influenced by the nutritional environment around them, including the availability of food products, the marketing strategies they encounter, and the clarity and accessibility of nutritional information.

“The cost of inaction in the face of rising diet-related health changes far exceeds the cost of preventive measure. In this context, implementing front-of-package warning labels is not only a sound public health intervention, but it is a strategic investment in the well-being of current and future generations,” Ms. Isaza said.