Jakarta. The Center for Indonesia’s Strategic Development Initiatives (CISDI) is urging the government to strengthen food labeling rules, including by requiring information on sugar, salt and fat content on the front of food packaging.

CISDI said food policy should go beyond providing nutritional information and make it easier for consumers to understand, especially as they face growing exposure to products high in sugar, salt and fat.

“The problem isn’t a lack of access to information; in fact, there’s already too much of it,” Muhammad Fachrial Kautsar, CISDI’s chief of policy advocacy and campaigns, said Thursday.

Consumers are also exposed to unhealthy products through advertisements, influencers, social media and algorithm-driven marketing, he said.

“Our choice architecture shapes our behavior,” Fachrial said.

He said the proposed revision of Government Regulation No. 69 of 1999 on Food Labeling and Advertising should not only update technical labeling requirements but also address how food products are marketed and promoted, particularly to children.

The push comes amid rising rates of diet-related health problems. Data from the 2023 Indonesian Health Survey showed that 2.2% of people aged 15 and older had diabetes based on a doctor’s diagnosis. However, blood sugar tests found a prevalence of 11.7%, suggesting that many people may be unaware they have the disease.

Obesity among people aged 18 and older also rose to 23.4% in 2023 from 21.8% in 2018.

The Health Ministry recommends a daily maximum intake of 50 grams of sugar, 2,000 milligrams of sodium, equivalent to five grams of salt, and 67 grams of fat.

Beyond Food Labels

CISDI said the 1999 regulation was introduced before social media, influencers and algorithm-driven marketing became major parts of the food industry.

Children can now encounter unhealthy products at schools, shops near schools and online through influencer content, sponsorships and other forms of marketing that may not appear to be advertisements.

Digital marketing techniques include hashtags, geotags, emotional appeals, product placement and food giveaways.

“This industry has a massive budget for such promotions and advertisements, everywhere,” Fachrial said.

Front-of-Package Labels

CISDI said the revision should also bring food labeling rules in line with Government Regulation No. 28 of 2024, which includes provisions on front-of-package labeling and restrictions on the advertising and promotion of certain foods.

The World Health Organization has highlighted provisions covering front-of-package labels, ready-to-eat food menus, product reformulation to reduce sugar, salt and fat, and restrictions on marketing unhealthy foods.

UNICEF has also identified interpretive front-of-package labels, restrictions on marketing unhealthy foods to children and a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages as evidence-based measures that Indonesia should strengthen.

But labeling alone will not be enough, Fachrial said. Marketing restrictions, product reformulation and a healthier food environment are also needed.

“Our choice architecture must be designed so that it helps people access accurate information,” he said.

Add as a preferred source on Google +