A consumer advocacy group has blasted retailers and food and drinks makers for opposing the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) nutrition warning labels scheme, accusing them of putting profit before Barbadians’ health and wellbeing.
Head of the 15-month-old Barbados Consumer Empowerment Network (BCEN), Maureen Holder levelled the charge in response to leading importer and distributor Andy Armstrong of Armstrong Agencies warning on Wednesday that putting CARICOM’s octagonal warning labels about salt, sugar and fat on the packaging, known as front-of-package nutritional labelling (FoPNL), could lead to further price rises for food and beverages.
Although he said the private sector supports front-of-package warning labels, Armstrong also questioned why Barbados along with other CARICOM governments were insisting on using a single nutritional label model in the shape of a black stop sign, similar to one used in Chile, when other models could be adopted.
“All our major trading partners will have some form of front-of-package labelling in place. So what we said is, ‘Why limit ourselves to just one shape?’ At least be open enough to look at the other shapes,” he said, warning that production costs associated with placing nutritional labels on goods will be passed on to consumers.
“If the products have to be over-stickered, there definitely will be an increase because you have to buy the labels; when the [goods] come in, you have to open up the cases, take all the products out, put the stickers on, put them back in the cases, seal up the cases again. So, undoubtedly, there will be an [increase] and for some smaller products, probably quite a significant increase in cost,” he said, adding that additional staff would have to be brought on to facilitate the process. “People say a sticker is only like five or ten cents, which is true, but the bigger cost is going to come from hiring people to open up boxes, sticker them, put them back in boxes and so I don’t know, hopefully, maybe there’s still room to allow some flexibility.”
But 24 hours later, BCEN’s Holder branded Armstrong’s statements as backward.
“Passing on the cost of warning labels is a counterproductive and regressive step because it undermines the goals of battling NCDs and lifting the burden of public healthcare costs,” said Holder.
She said that in Barbados, the labels are important for those who are at greater risk of having diet-related health issues.
“Added costs will disproportionately affect low-income groups who already struggle to afford healthy foods. Raising the price of products because of a warning label is likely to exacerbate the disparities in access to nutritious foods, making it harder for the economically vulnerable to make healthier choices,” the consumer rights advocate advised.
“If consumers are forced to pay more for products with warning labels, then you might as well give up on trying to encourage people to make healthier food choices. The primary purpose of implementing front-of-package warning labels is to promote better public health through the use of clear and easily understandable information about the nutritional content and the potential health risks of food products.
“BCEN believes that making statements about passing on the costs of front-of-package warning labels to consumers, is an indication that those in the retail and manufacturing sectors are willing to prioritise profit over the health and wellbeing of Barbadians,” she added.
Holder said that sending messages like Armstrong’s often leads to confusion and a high level of mistrust for public health officials and those who are promoting and campaigning for the consumption of healthier foods.
BCEN, which was formed in July 2022, warned that consumers would tend to believe that the government is working with the retail and manufacturing industries to raise food prices.
Holder said consumers should never be made to feel that retailers and manufacturers care more about their profit margins than their health.
“Passing on the costs also discourages manufacturers from improving the nutritional quality of their products because they can “simply” pass on the financial burden to consumers instead of making the necessary innovations and investments to make healthier products,” Holder argued.
“If the costs are absorbed by the retailers and manufacturers, then it could serve some good, as it can incentivise them to reduce the level of warning labels on their products. Exploring alternative funding solutions rather than passing on the costs to consumers, should be the way forward. It can prove to be a more balanced approach to the issue of implementing front-of-package warning labels for consumers to make healthier food choices.”
Earlier this month, the Barbados Private Sector Association (BPSA) came out in opposition to the proposed CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ) black and white octagonal warning label because there should be more adaptable labelling systems favoured by major trading partners in the region.
emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb
