For many South Africans, shopping for food has become a challenge. Products that seem safe or even healthy often contain high levels of sugar, salt and saturated fat. Families, and especially children, are drawn in by colourful packaging, cartoon characters, and claims that sound reassuring but are not always accurate. With marketing so carefully targeted, genuine choice is often taken away.
Research has shown that ultra-processed foods are formulated in ways that make us eat more, while complicated back-of-pack labels leave most people without clear guidance on what is good or harmful. The impact is visible: in just 10 years, obesity rates among children in SA have climbed from one in 20 to one in eight. If nothing changes, by 2031 more than 4-million children aged 5 to 19 could be affected, placing SA among the top 10 countries in the world for childhood obesity
HEALA — a coalition of civil society organisations advocating for equitable access to affordable, nutritious food in SA — has been shining a light on these realities, helping to build awareness about how the food environment is shaped and how people’s health is affected.
Most recently, HEALA travelled across Gauteng, Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal as part of a national roadshow, creating space for conversations with communities, health experts and policymakers. The response was powerful: South Africans are asking for honesty and transparency, specifically through the adoption of mandatory front-of-package warning labels, to enable healthier choices for themselves and their families.
Yet nearly two years have passed since the draft regulation, which would introduce simple, mandatory, front-of-package warning labels, was first published. These clear, easy-to-understand warning labels would make it possible for everyone, regardless of literacy or age, to see at a glance when a product is high in sugar, salt or fat.
Every step towards clearer labelling is a step towards a healthier future for South Africans. By making the food environment safer and more transparent, we can help ensure that the next generation grows up with better choices and better health.
It’s time to act: demand front-of-package warning labels
Add your voice to HEALA's call for the health minister and director-general of the health department to publish strong food labelling regulations as soon as possible.
Sign the petition at heala.org
This article was sponsored by HEALA.
