{"id":15212,"date":"2026-08-02T17:15:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-02T22:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/?p=15212"},"modified":"2026-08-02T09:06:03","modified_gmt":"2026-08-02T14:06:03","slug":"panamas-fight-for-nutritional-transparency-on-food-labels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/health\/panamas-fight-for-nutritional-transparency-on-food-labels\/","title":{"rendered":"Panama’s Fight for Nutritional Transparency on Food Labels"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Outside<\/a> the National Assembly<\/a>, advocates carrying handmade signs and a clear message demanded what millions of shoppers still lack in Panama: nutritional transparency. The Movement for Healthy Food rallied peacefully at Jos\u00e9 Ram\u00f3n Cantera Plaza, urging lawmakers to finally advance a bill that would slap bold warning seals<\/a> on packaged products. The goal, they said, is straightforward , give people a chance to spot excessive sugar, sodium<\/a>, and saturated fats in seconds, not minutes of squinting at cryptic fine print.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Push for Clear Warning Labels at the National Assembly<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A delegation of health activists pressed their case directly with legislators, emphasizing that Panama remains one of the few Latin American countries without any mandatory front-of-pack labeling system. Bethy Cruzado, a movement spokesperson, made the urgency plain outside the parliament building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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‘We urge that one of the projects up for debate be the Front Labeling Law. Panama has no kind of labeling. It\u2019s important that consumers have correct information, so in a few seconds they can make a quick, easy and simple decision’ [Translated from Spanish]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Her words reflected years of frustration among dieticians, parents, and consumer groups who see the current nutrition facts panels as deliberately obtuse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"nutritional
nutritional label law protest<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The bill itself was unified during the previous legislative period and has been waiting for a real push. Proponents say it is not about banning foods but about equipping shoppers with genuine nutritional transparency. Eredina Gonz\u00e1lez de Castro, another voice from the movement, framed the issue as something more fundamental.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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‘This is very important for all consumers, above all because it is a universal right, the right to information. And also to choose how to make wise decisions about products if I lack timely and accessible information’ [Translated from Spanish]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

That right, she argued, is hollow when packaging hides the truth behind small fonts and technical jargon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Nutritional Transparency Can Shift Eating Habits<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Panama faces a growing burden of diet-illnesses. Obesity rates have climbed steadily, and type 2 diabetes now affects over 10 percent of the adult population, according to health ministry data. In that context, nutritional transparency becomes more than a consumer convenience , it acts as a frontline public health tool. Warning labels, researchers note, help people reduce purchases of ultra-processed foods even when they don’t fully understand nutritional science. A simple black octagon signaling \u201cexcess sugar\u201d cuts through the confusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The proposed law would require such octagonal seals on the front of packages, mirroring systems already proven in other nations. Rather than forcing buyers to decode back-panel tables, the warnings deliver an instant visual nudge. Deputy Miguel \u00c1ngel Campos, who co-sponsored the measure alongside fellow PRD lawmaker Jairo Salazar, explained why that clarity matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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‘We want the Panamanian population to be fully informed. Sometimes the nutritional information on these products is confusing because it\u2019s technical. We want this project to deliver clear labels warning about excess sugars, fats, and other contents’ [Translated from Spanish]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Campos insisted the goal is education, not scare tactics, and that the seals would also benefit children and teens who are still forming eating habits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n