Will new warning labels on food save lives or hurt farming?

A regulatory storm is brewing as the department of health finalises its controversial new food labelling laws, known as Regulation R3337.

The law aims to force companies to put bold, black-and-white warning labels on front packaging high in sugar, salt, and saturated fat. Health groups like the Healthy Living Alliance (Heala) are pushing hard for the implementation, calling it a vital weapon to fight Mzansi’s rising diabetes crisis.

However, local agro-processors and farmers are sounding the alarm, worried about the economic ripple effects these labels will have on everyday agricultural products.

Speaking to Food For Mzansi, Angelika Grimbeek, policy and programme manager at Heala, explained what these new food labelling laws actually mean for everyday consumers.

Vateka Halile: How do current food packaging designs hide high levels of sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats from budget-conscious shoppers?

Angelika Grimbeek: Unless you are a trained professional, back-of-pack food labels are confusing and time-consuming. They feature varying portion sizes, hard-to-follow tables, and complex scientific names. For instance, many people do not realise “sodium” means salt, and carbohydrates are often broken into unfamiliar types of sugars. This makes it difficult to realise how much sugar, salt, or fat is hidden in products.

Most shoppers simply do not have the time to stand in a busy aisle decoding this information. While we can taste if something is sweet or salty, we usually have no idea of the actual quantity we are consuming.

Furthermore, many products feature front-of-pack claims loudly celebrating a high fibre or vitamin content. Every day, consumers often choose these, thinking they are the healthiest option, unaware that these same products are secretly packed with undisclosed high levels of sugar, salt, or unhealthy fats.

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If implemented, how exactly will mandatory black warning triangles change the way an everyday consumer navigates supermarket aisles in real-time?

Front-of-package warning labels, specifically the black triangles proposed by the national department of health, will immensely help consumers make buying decisions. Many people genuinely do not know that certain everyday products are harmful to their health because these ingredients are completely obscured. The warnings will be a vital starting point for consumers to truly understand what is in the food they eat.

Because these warning labels are black and white and cover a significant portion of the packaging, they will immediately draw attention away from the colourful designs used to entice shoppers.

The symbols and wording representing sugar, salt, and fat are designed to be instantly understood by anyone. Crucially, any product carrying a warning label will be legally banned from making positive nutrient claims, like “high in vitamin C”. This ensures consumers prioritise health risks rather than being distracted by a single healthy ingredient they could get from whole grains, fruits, or vegetables.

How will changing the rules on food labelling restrict big food corporations from targeting children with marketing?

Children are heavily targeted by food corporations through colourful packaging, cartoon characters, celebrities, sports stars, and free gifts. 

Restricting these techniques by ensuring a plainer packaging style and clear warning labels will protect children and help them understand which foods harm their health.

In Chile, where a similar front-of-package warning label system and marketing restrictions were implemented, children became empowered by this knowledge. They frequently challenged their caregivers’ shopping choices when they noticed a product carried a warning label.

How do clear food labels empower budget-conscious consumers to make better health decisions without making groceries more expensive?

Food prices are always a main deciding factor in what we put in our baskets, and unfortunately, heavily processed foods are often the most affordable options.

However, these labels empower budget-conscious shoppers in two ways. First, it allows them to swap an unhealthy item for a healthier alternative at the same price point, such as choosing plain yoghurt over a sweetened version. Second, to avoid the stigma of a front-of-pack warning label, big brands are likely to proactively reformulate their recipes, reducing sugar, salt, and fat levels below the danger threshold.

Ultimately, this system gives consumers easy-to-understand information to make small, impactful changes without spending more.

From a public health perspective, what is the direct link between hidden ingredients in processed foods and rising rates of type-2 diabetes and hypertension?

The warning labels target three nutrients of concern: sugar, salt, and saturated fat. While these occur naturally in fresh options, the danger lies in the excessive amounts added to ultra-processed products (UPPs).

Extensive research proves that over-consuming these ingredients drastically increases weight gain, obesity, type-2 diabetes, and heart disease. Big food manufacturers know that the combination of sugar, salt, and fat creates a powerful sensory reaction that hooks consumers, driving overeating. 

For example, while most people stop after eating one or two apples, it is incredibly difficult to stop eating an entire packet of sweets once it has been opened.

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