Food Labelling for a Healthier Food System: Turning Evidence into Action


How can food labelling move beyond information to shape healthier food systems? This question guided the webinar “Food Labelling for a Healthier Food System: Evidence and Policy Options in Asia and Africa,” convened by SHAPE Asia in partnership with PERGIZI PANGAN Indonesia and Food Environments in Transitioning Economies (FETE), with support from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) on 28 January 2026. Bringing together experts across Asia and Africa, the session created a space for cross-country learning on how nutrient profiling and front-of-pack labelling are being developed, tested, and implemented.


Opening the session, Dr. Avita Usfar from SHAPE Asia emphasized that food labelling is not simply a communication tool. It is a policy instrument that can support consumer decision-making, promote industry accountability, and enable regulatory action. At the same time, she highlighted a key challenge shared across countries: translating policy design into meaningful implementation.


Strong Evidence, Uneven Readiness


Country experiences showed that the evidence base for action is already compelling. In Tanzania, Prof. Lilian Kaale presented findings from a large-scale market assessment, noting that most packaged foods exceed recommended nutrient thresholds and many are directly marketed to children. As she stressed, “Tanzania’s evidence reveals a highly ultra-processed and child-targeted packaged food market, underscoring the urgency of regulatory action; translating strong data into enforceable policy remains the next critical step.”


In India, Suneeta Chandorkar highlighted similar concerns around the rapid shift toward ultra-processed foods and rising diet-related health risks. She emphasized that front-of-pack labelling is a necessary policy response, but its effectiveness depends on design choices, noting that “success will depend on choosing a clear label format, ensuring scientific transparency, and maintaining strong regulatory safeguards.”


These perspectives point to a common reality. While the need for action is clear, countries are at different stages of readiness to act on the evidence.


Policy Design Under Pressure


As countries move from evidence to policy design, the process becomes more contested. In Indonesia, Prof. Rimbawan described an ongoing transition toward mandatory front-of-pack labelling, but highlighted the need to balance public health goals with economic and industry considerations. He noted that “addressing industry resistance, technical capacity, and enforcement readiness will shape its public health impact.”


In the Philippines, Carl Vincent Cabanilla emphasized that developing a national system requires not only technical work but also institutional coordination. He noted that “ensuring technical consensus, transparency, and institutional coordination will be critical to translate design into impact.” This was reinforced by Dr. Michael Serafico, who highlighted that even well-developed models must remain practical, stressing the need for strong scientific standards alongside workable and coordinated implementation.


Across these contexts, policy development is not only a technical exercise. It is shaped by competing priorities, stakeholder interests, and institutional constraints.


Implementation Gaps and Emerging Responses


Experiences from countries further along the policy pathway show that implementation introduces new challenges. In Kenya, Dr. Shukri Mohamed highlighted that a completed nutrient profiling model now supports multiple policy areas, including labelling and marketing restrictions. However, she cautioned that “sustained coordination and political commitment will determine implementation impact.”


In Sri Lanka, Dr. Nisha Arunatilake reflected on the country’s traffic light labelling system, showing that while labelling can influence choices, its effectiveness remains uneven. As she noted, “effectiveness depends on comprehensive product coverage, consumer awareness, and complementary fiscal and marketing measures.” Gaps in awareness and coverage, particularly among lower-income groups, continue to limit impact.


These experiences suggest that implementation is not a final step, but an ongoing process that requires adaptation, monitoring, and support.


Beyond Labelling: A Systems Challenge


Across all speakers, a consistent message emerged. The main challenge is not whether food labelling works, but how to make it work in practice. Issues such as industry influence, limited consumer understanding, fragmented institutional roles, and weak enforcement appear across different contexts. At the same time, speakers highlighted the importance of early stakeholder engagement, strong scientific foundations, and coordinated policy approaches.


Importantly, food labelling cannot operate in isolation. Its impact depends on how it is combined with other measures, including marketing restrictions, fiscal policies, and public awareness efforts.


Moving Forward Through Shared Learning


By bringing together experiences from Asia and Africa, the webinar reinforced the value of cross-country learning. While policy pathways differ, many of the underlying challenges are shared. Countries can benefit from each other’s experiences in navigating design choices, managing industry response, and strengthening implementation.


As SHAPE Asia continues to connect research, policy, and practice, this dialogue highlights a clear direction forward. Food labelling is a critical entry point, but its success depends on sustained collaboration, evidence-informed decision-making, and the ability to translate policy into real-world impact.

To explore the full discussion and country insights, watch the webinar recording here: https://youtu.be/eWIRtBkoKd4