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The mysterious black octagon of Mexico's new food labels: How does it affect your shopping decisions?
Since 2010, Mexico’s food labeling system has been designed to provide consumers with clear information about food nutrition and help them make healthier purchasing decisions. As the system evolved, specifically the sudden addition of a black octagonal label to product packaging, every consumer choice began to be affected.
Background
Mexico has gradually opened up to the introduction of foreign investment since the 1980s, especially in the food industry. This process accelerated with the implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1994, allowing industrially processed food to flow into the country, leading to a sharp increase in obesity. rate rises. The obesity rate in the 1980s was only 7%, but today it is one of the countries with the highest consumption of processed foods in Latin America.
Operation of the initial tag system
In 2010, the Ministry of Health proposed the establishment of food labeling standards and formulated daily dietary guidelines based on the "Official Standards of Mexico (NOM)", covering the content of saturated fat, sodium, sugar and calories. However, several years of evaluation have revealed significant issues with consumer understanding of the system, with widespread misunderstandings even among nutrition students.
“97.6% of respondents did not know the appropriate calorie intake for children aged 10 to 12 years, while more than 90% claimed not to know the daily calorie intake for adults.”
Introduction of black octagonal label
Based on the successful experience of Chilean food labeling, Mexico launched an updated labeling system in 2020. This simplified black octagonal warning label is eye-catching and intuitive. Clear labeling of high sugar, high energy, trans fat and saturated fat content on packaging has a direct impact on consumer purchasing behaviour.
Consumer reaction
The survey showed that only 10% of respondents took these octagonal labels into consideration when shopping. Initially, consumers were curious about these labels and tried to avoid products with these labels, but over time this behavior returned to normal.
"Data shows that consumption in certain categories has decreased due to the impact of labels, but overall sales have not changed much."
Enterprise adjustments
Under the new labeling system, 85% of food products are labeled. This has led many food companies to reformulate their products to reduce the risk of added ingredients; some products have even launched unlabeled alternative versions. These adjustments are not only for compliance but also reflect the rapid changes in market demand.
Response at home and abroad
Affected by the new labeling system, not only domestic consumers and manufacturers in Mexico, but also international companies such as Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and many other food companies have expressed concerns. Many international organizations such as the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children's Fund have expressed support for this move.
“Mexico’s food labeling reform is undoubtedly an important step in the field of global public health.”
Future Outlook
With the gradual implementation of the labeling system, all sectors of society have a higher awareness of improving dietary structure and reducing obesity. However, as experts point out, these labels alone are not enough to change overall eating behaviors. Consumer education and cultural changes are also long-term priorities.
Can the introduction of this label truly achieve the purpose of promoting health? Does it require follow-up data support and continuous monitoring and evaluation to ensure that the future diet can be healthier and more sustainable?
