MEXICO CITY:The United States, European Union, Canada and Switzerland, home to some of the world's biggest food companies, have pressed Mexico to delay upcoming health warnings on processed food and drinks, a World Trade Organization document showed.
The Mexican standard, scheduled to take effect in October, will require front-of-pack nutrition labeling that clearly describes the health risks posed when those products are high in sugars, calories, salt, and saturated or trans fat.
Mexico, the largest consumer of processed food in Latin America and the fourth-largest in the world, has long struggled with high rates of obesity and diabetes. That health crisis has been exacerbated by the novel coronavirus, which hits people suffering from those illnesses particularly hard.
Obesity reached epidemic proportions in Mexico after it joined the North American Free Trade Agreement with the United States and Canada in the early 1990s, making processed food more easily available, several studies have shown.
Last week, the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca banned the sale, distribution and advertising of junk food and sugary drinks to children, becoming the nation's first state to do so.
According to WTO minutes of a May 13-14 meeting of the Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade, published on Monday, the U.S. delegation said it supports Mexico's public health objective of reducing diet-related non-communicable diseases but that it was concerned the planned labeling may be "more trade restrictive than necessary to meet Mexico's legitimate health objectives."
"Mexico has chosen more stringent nutrient thresholds than the thresholds set by other countries," the U.S. delegation said, citing the views of the government and nine trade groups.
The United States, Switzerland, Canada and the EU opposed the Oct. 1 implementation date. Washington and the EU sought a two-year delay while Canada asked for the start to be pushed back 12 months. Switzerland urged postponement without specifying a timeline.
Washington said a delay was needed "in light of the COVID-19 global pandemic, which has placed significant pressure on the food and beverage industry."
The Mexican government did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But a Mexican government official with knowledge of the matter, who declined to be named, said: "We told them there would be no additional time."
Pepita Barlow, assistant professor of health policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science, said countries that are home to major multi-national food corporations such as Switzerland, the United States and EU most frequently opposed new food standards, focusing on trade costs and profits.
The Mexican government official said the countries opposing Mexico's standard were acting in a last-ditch effort to derail the changes and putting their concerns ahead of public health.
The Mexican private sector has also opposed the new rules. Jaime Zabludovsky, president of lobby group ConMexico which represents food and beverage companies, recently said the labels would confuse the public, according to Mexican media outlet Aristegui Noticias.
The government official said Coca-Cola Co, PepsiCo Inc, Nestle and Mexican breadmaker Grupo Bimbo were among companies that asked for a delay.
The companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Representatives at the U.S., EU, Canadian and Swiss embassies did not respond to requests for comment.
Reuters
Wed Aug 12 2020
Costumers walk in the corridors of a beverage depot at the wholesale market "Central de Abastos" in Mexico City, Mexico January 11, 2019. Photo/REUTERS
PKR rai ulang tahun 25 tahun dengan penganjuran karnival 11 Mei ini - Nurul Izzah
PKR akan meraikan ulang tahun ke-25 penubuhannya dengan menganjurkan satu karnival terbuka di Sentul Depot, Kuala Lumpur 11 Mei ini.
Syed Hamid Albar letak jawatan sebagai Pengerusi Yayasan WIEF
Syed Hamid Albar mengumumkan peletakan jawatannya sebagai Pengerusi Yayasan Forum Ekonomi Islam Sedunia (WIEF), berkuat kuasa 30 April.
AWANI Tonight: Microsoft to invest RM10.5 bil in cloud, AI services
Microsoft has pledged RM10.5 billion investment in artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing to help develop Malaysia’s AI infrastructure.
AWANI Tonight: UCLA pro-Palestine students in standoff with police
Hundreds of police officers made their way to the UCLA campus, warning pro-Palestinian demonstrators that they would be arrested for unlawful assembly if they did not leave.
AWANI Tonight: Building smart homes, innovating customer experiences
Around 500 to 700 million LG products are in use worldwide, many of which contain AI sensors to learn and analyse users' lifestyles. Astro AWANI correspondent Faye Kwan reports on how the firm makes use of its access to this wealth of data.
Cuaca panas: KKM akan umum jika perlu tutup sekolah
KKM akan membuat pengumuman termasuk mempertimbangkan keperluan penutupan sekolah berikutan cuaca panas melanda beberapa negeri.
Hentikan boikot KK Mart - Mufti Perak
Mufti Perak, Datuk Seri Wan Zahidi Wan Teh menasihatkan umat Islam agar menghentikan tindakan boikot terhadap kedai serbaneka KK Mart susulan isu penjualan stoking tertera kalimah Allah di salah satu cawangan kedai serbaneka itu.
[INFOGRAFIK] Indeks Kebebasan Media Dunia 2024
[INFOGRAFIK] Indeks Kebebasan Media Dunia 2024
Petugas haji termasuk 14 wakil media selamat tiba di Madinah
Seramai 150 petugas haji termasuk 14 wakil media bagi musim haji 1445 Hijrah/2024M selamat tiba di Madinah sekitar pukul 2.45 pagi waktu tempatan (7.45 pagi waktu Malaysia).
12 individu ditahan terlibat penipuan pelaburan Goldman Sachs, kerugian lebih RM11 juta
Dua belas individu ditahan kerana disyaki terlibat penipuan pelaburan Goldman Sachs di tujuh negeri melibatkan kerugian melebihi RM11 juta.
Dewan Rakyat: Wujud 'pelobi' yang lihat industri sawit sebagai pesaing - Fadilah
Timbalan Perdana Menteri akan mengadakan pertemuan dengan Ketua Pengarah Alam Sekitar di bawah Suruhanjaya EU, Florika Fink-Hooijer pada 28 Jun ini.
Rusia umum bakal usir 20 diplomat dari Republik Czech
Ia sebagai tindak balas Republik Czech yang menghalau 18 diplomat Rusia pada Sabtu.
Vaksin COVID-19: Sekatan eksport EU akibatkan situasi 'rugi-rugi'
Kenyataan dikeluarkan seorang eksekutif Pfizer susulan blok itu memperketatkan pengawasan penghantaran vaksin di luar sempadannya.
Eksport biodiesel Malaysia dijangka susut tahun ini - MBA
Presiden Persatuan Biodiesel Malaysia (MBA), UR Unnithan berkata eksport biobahan api berasaskan sawit dianggarkan mencecah 378,582 tan pada tahun lepas.
Suruhanjaya Eropah umum lanjut mekanisme eksport vaksin COVID-19
Mekanisme ini bertujuan memastikan pengeluar vaksin memenuhi komitmennya kepada negara anggota Kesatuan Eropah (EU) terlebih dahulu.
COVID-19: EU gesa ketelusan syarikat pembuat vaksin
Ia susulan kelewatan penghantaran vaksin oleh dua syarikat, yang menjejaskan pelancaran program vaksin di beberapa negara anggota EU.
Malaysia mulakan tindakan undang-undang ke atas EU berikutan kempen antiminyak sawit
KPPK telah memulakan tindakan undang-undang terhadap Kesatuan Eropah (EU) serta negara-negara anggotanya berikutan kempen antiminyak sawit.
Tidak peduli rayuan Itali, Kesatuan Eropah akhirnya tampil mohon maaf
Selepas Rom mendakwa permohonan bantuan perubatan dalam usaha memerangi pandemik COVID-19 tidak mendapat respons bulan lalu, Kesatuan Eropah (EU) tampil membuat permohonan maaf kepada negara itu.
COVID-19: Itali dakwa 'dipinggirkan' EU, terima bantuan China
Rom sebelum ini ada meminta bantuan daripada Kesatuan Eropah (EU), namun tidak dipedulikan sehingga China sendiri menghantar bantuan pakar dan alatan perubatan.
Boris Johnson berterima kasih kepada penyokong di England Utara
JOHNSON BERSEDIA UNTUK MEMULAKAN PROSES PADA MINGGU HADAPAN BAGI MENOLAK PERUNDINGAN BREXIT MENERUSI PARLIMEN BAGI MEMASTIKAN BRITAIN MENINGGALKAN EUROPEAN UNION (EU) PADA 31 JANUARI 2020./