On June 24, 2019, a Working Group was organized to regulate the provisions of State Law No. 15.126/18, which prohibits the marketing and advertising of ultra-processed food in public and private schools in the state of Rio Grande do Sul.
Before Law No. 15.126/18, Rio Grande do Sul already had a more general law on the subject, but the new regulation makes it clear which foods and forms of advertising are prohibited in and around schools, as the legislation extends to nearby street vendors.
Among the targeted products, we may find: candies, lollipops, chewing gum, stuffed cookies, soft drinks and artificial juices, industrialized snacks, fried foods in general, industrialized popcorn, processed foods whose percentage of calories from saturated fat exceeds 10% of total calories, foods prepared with hydrogenated vegetable fat, and high-sodium processed foods.
Similarly to Rio Grande do Sul, Minas Gerais, another Brazilian state, has a project that prohibits unhealthy food in schools. However, the decree, which came into effect in late 2018, was suspended for 240 days by Governor Romeu Zema on June 25, 2019, one day after the deadline for schools to adapt.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.