Industry groups push for joint review of nutrition profiling model

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Chamber of Food Manufacturers Inc. (PCFMI) and other industry groups are pushing for their inclusion in the further review of the Philippine Nutrient Profile Model (PNPM) to ensure that it reflects current dietary patterns and realities.

In a joint statement to the National Nutrition Council, the groups emphasized the need to recalibrate the current PNPM draft to ensure these are based on current market conditions.

The groups also requested to be included in the technical working group tasked to review, validate and finalize the PNPM and related policies.

The PNPM aims to promote healthier consumption habits to combat non-communicable diseases by classifying packaged food and beverages according to their sugar, sodium, saturated fat and total fat level.

It is expected to be used to guide measures such as front-of-pack labels on products, marketing restrictions and imposition of taxes.

Apart from PCFMI, the other signatories are the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Beverage Industry Association of the Philippines, British Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Federation of Philippine Industries, Food Industry Asia, Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines Inc. and Korean Chamber of Commerce Philippines.

Also part of the petition are the Philippine Amalgamated Supermarkets Association Inc., Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc., Philippine Association of Multinational Companies Regional Headquarters Inc., Philippine Association of National Advertisers, Philippine Association of Stores and Carinderia Owners and the Philippine Confectionery, Biscuit & Snack Association.

“We are concerned that the PNPM may be used as a benchmark for future regulatory measures. Approving an unvalidated model at this stage may lead to a series of policies built on an uncertain foundation,” a PCFMI representative said.

PCFMI estimates around 96 percent of packaged food products currently sold in the market do not meet the PNPM’s proposed sodium, sugar and fat limits.

This may compel food manufacturers to reformulate or relabel products and lead to additional spending for micro, small and medium enterprises that are already dealing with lower output and employment due to limited resources.

“This could have a cascading e?ect to the a?ordability of food for low-income consumers already facing rising food costs,” the groups said.

“We remain concerned that the PNPM may negatively a?ect food a?ordability, consumer access, employment and economic stability if adopted without further technical validation and meaningful stakeholder participation,” PCFMI said.