Overpromoted and underregulated: National binding legal measures related to commercially produced complementary foods in seven Southeast Asian countries are not fully aligned with available guidance

Abstract

The market for commercially produced complementary foods (CPCF) is rapidly expanding in Southeast Asia; however, the existence and content of mandatory national policies, standards and legislation (binding legal measures) for CPCF in the region is unclear. To assess the status of national binding legal measures for CPCF in Southeast Asia, a legal and policy desk review was conducted in seven countries (Cambodia, Laos People's Democratic Republic, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam). The alignment of the national binding legal measures relevant to CPCF was assessed against guidance on CPCF nutrient composition and labelling requirements provided by Codex Alimentarius and the World Health Organization (WHO). Each of the seven countries had at least two national binding legal measures related to the nutrient composition or labelling of CPCF; however, there was limited alignment with the guidance from Codex and WHO. No country was fully aligned with the three CPCF‐specific Codex standards/guidelines and only one country was in full alignment with the recommendations related to the protection of breastfeeding from the ‘WHO Guidance on ending the inappropriate promotion of foods for infants and young children’. The findings of the review indicate that the existing national binding legal measures are insufficient to ensure that the CPCF sold as suitable for older infants and young children are nutritionally adequate and labelled in a responsible manner that does not mislead caregivers. Improved and enforced national binding legal measures for CPCF, in alignment with global guidance, are required to ensure that countries protect, promote and support optimal nutrition for children 6–36 months of age.

First foods in a packaged world: Results from the COMMIT consortium to protect young child diets in Southeast Asia

“…In this issue, Blankenship et al ( 2023 ) reviewed mandatory national policies, standards and legislation (binding legal measures) relevant to CPCF in the seven COMMIT countries and compared their alignment to the six relevant Codex Standards and Guidelines (Codex Alimentarius, 1981 , 2004 , 2006 , 2011 , 2013 , 2018 ), the WHO Guidance (WHO, 2017 ) and the nutrient composition and labelling requirements in an adapted version of the WHO Europe NPM for CPCF. In the first analysis of this kind globally, the authors found that no country was fully aligned with the available global guidance.…”

“…Only one country was in full alignment with the WHO Guidance and no country was fully aligned with the adapted version of the WHO Europe NPM for CPCF. The findings from Blankenship et al ( 2023 ) indicate that existing legal measures in the COMMIT countries in Southeast Asia are insufficient to ensure CPCF are nutritionally adequate and appropriately labelled.…”