Every day, millions of South African women make decisions about the food their families eat. They are the primary household shoppers and caregivers, carrying the responsibility of feeding their families while navigating supermarket shelves filled with unhealthy, ultra-processed foods.

Yet instead of helping them make informed choices, current food labels are confusing, cluttered and difficult to understand. Women should not have to spend valuable time deciphering complex nutrition information simply to protect their families’ health.

South Africa’s food environment is stacked against consumers. Researchers at the University of Cape Town warn that global food companies have flooded the market with cheap ultra-processed foods that are high in sugar, salt and saturated fat, contributing to the country’s growing obesity crisis.

Front-of-Pack Warning Labels offer a simple solution. Clear, black-and-white warning labels placed on the front of food packages make it easy to identify products high in sugar, salt, saturated fat or containing artificial sweeteners. They reduce the burden on consumers by providing quick, easy-to-understand information, regardless of literacy level or language.

Non-communicable diseases are a women’s issue

Women bear a disproportionate burden of South Africa’s obesity epidemic. An estimated 68% of Black African women over the age of 15 were overweight or obese in 2016, compared with 31% of men.

Obesity significantly increases the risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and certain cancers. These illnesses affect not only women’s own health but also the wellbeing of the families who depend on them.

Giving women clear information at the point of purchase empowers them to make healthier choices for themselves and their families.

Government must act

The National Department of Health published draft regulations (R3337) for Front-of-Pack Warning Labels for public comment in 2023. Nearly three years later, South Africans are still waiting.

“Government has had these draft regulations since 2023. Every month of delay is another month that South African women are left to decode confusing labels on their own, while the food industry continues to profit from that confusion. This Women’s Month, we are not asking for charity, we are asking government to finish what it started and urgently ratify R3337,” says Nomfundo Mbuli, Programmes Manager at HEALA.

Front-of-Pack Warning Labels are a practical, evidence-based public health intervention. They are designed to help busy, budget-conscious consumers make informed decisions in seconds, while encouraging manufacturers to produce healthier foods.

This Women’s Month, HEALA calls on government to urgently ratify the Front-of-Pack Warning Label regulations. South African women already carry the responsibility of feeding their families. They deserve the tools to do so with confidence.

Let women choose. Ratify R3337 now.

For media enquiries please contact 

Zukiswa Zimela Communications Manager, (HEALA)

Zukiswa[@]heala.org 0745210652