Govt plans to enforce front-of-pack warning labels on junk food

Highlights:
- Products
with excessive sugar, salt must display a black octagonal 'High In'
warning label
- WHO
mandates front-of-package labelling system to combat diet-related diseases
- 97% of
Bangladeshis consume packaged foods weekly
- 63% of
packaged foods contain high levels of sodium
- Proposed
regulation also targets ultra-processed foods
The government is planning to introduce
mandatory front-of-package warning labels on packaged food products containing
excessive levels of sugar, salt and fat, in a move aimed at helping consumers
make healthier food choices.
Under a proposed regulation, packaged foods
found to contain high amounts of sugar, sodium or saturated fat would be
required to carry a black octagonal warning sign on the front of the package
with the words "High In", enabling consumers to identify unhealthy
products more easily.
The provision has been included in the draft
"Safe Food (Packaged Food Labelling) Regulations, 2026", prepared by
the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority.
Public health experts say front-of-package
warning labels are among the most effective and globally recognised measures
for reducing health risks associated with unhealthy diets.
The World Health Organization has also
identified front-of-package labelling as a "Best Buy" intervention
because of its cost-effectiveness in addressing diet-related diseases.
Globally, several countries have also
introduced black octagonal front-of-package warning labels on foods high in
sugar, salt, fat or calories, mainly in Latin America, where the model first
gained traction.
Chile was the first country to introduce the
system in 2016. Products high in sugar, sodium, saturated fat or calories must
display black stop-sign-style labels reading "High in".
Mexico adopted a similar system in 2020,
requiring warning labels on packaged foods and drinks containing excessive
amounts of sugar, sodium, calories, saturated fat or trans fat. Peru, Uruguay,
Argentina and Colombia have also introduced similar regulations.
According to the draft regulation, whether a
food item is considered "high" in sugar, salt or fat would be
determined based on the amount of those ingredients per 100 kilocalories of
energy.
Solid foods containing more than 2.5 grams of
sugar per 100 kilocalories and liquid foods containing more than 1.25 grams
would require warning labels. Products containing more than 100 milligrams of
sodium per 100 kilocalories would also need to display the warning sign.
Officials at the food safety authority said
the draft regulation had been opened for public feedback and was now under
review before being sent to the Ministry of Food for final approval.
Mohammad Shoeb, a member of the food safety
authority, said the proposed regulation aims to reduce the increasing number of
people suffering from diabetes and hypertension.
"We are working with an expert team and
consulting stakeholders. We hope to finalise the draft soon and send it to the
ministry," he said.
However, several categories of products would
remain exempt from the mandatory warning labels. These include milk and dairy
products, edible oils and fats such as ghee and butter, fresh or frozen fruits
and vegetables, rice, lentils, wheat and flour, raw meat and fish, eggs, honey
and specialised infant nutrition products.
Health experts warned that rising consumption
of ultra-processed foods was contributing to an increase in diabetes, heart
disease and hypertension in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh currently has around 13.9 million
people living with diabetes, while many others suffer from high blood pressure.
A 2025 study published in the National Library
of Medicine found that 97% of people in Bangladesh consume packaged food at
least once a week, particularly biscuits, chanachur, instant noodles, soups,
snacks and sugary drinks.
The study also found high sodium levels in 63%
of packaged food products.
Abu Ahmed Shamim, an associate scientist at
the James P Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University, said consumers
often struggle to read detailed nutritional information printed in small text
on the back of packages.
"With front-of-package labelling,
consumers will be able to identify whether a product contains harmful levels of
ingredients instantly," he said.















