Hong Kong eyes ban on unproven health claims printed on milk formula tins
Government mulls regulating questionable health and nutritional claims on the packaging for milk formula and food for young children
The city is seeking to regulate nutritional and health claims made over milk formula and baby food in a new public consultation that the government hopes will lead to laws safeguarding the health of children under the age of three.
Coming under closer scrutiny in the three-month exercise are purported benefits printed on product packaging and touted in advertisements.
"Health and nutrition claims are not legally necessary on packages," undersecretary for food and health Professor Sophia Chan Siu-chee said yesterday. "It is a commercial decision by manufacturers to sell their products."
Besides protecting young children, Chan also hoped better regulation would keep parents from being misled by false or exaggerated claims.
Most regulations around the world on milk formulas were stricter, she said, given that they were usually the only source of food for infants.
She acknowledged that any laws passed would affect many suppliers and manufacturers. The government says 28 per cent of food samples meant for infants and young children carry health and nutritional claims.
In the first 11 months of last year, the Consumer Council received 220 complaints about milk formula and baby food. The council said it had written to the Legislative Council proposing regulation of the claimed benefits of such products.