Colombia debates bill to eliminate healthy taxes on sugary drinks

A legislative project seeking to eliminate 'healthy taxes' and front-of-package labeling for sugary drinks and ultra-processed foods in Colombia has drawn conflicting reactions from health and business sectors.

The Association of Epidemiology of Colombia (Asocepic) has criticized the proposal, arguing that scientific evidence supports these measures in reducing the consumption of unhealthy products and mitigating trends in obesity and diabetes. Asocepic maintains that while direct local studies are still developing, modeling shows these taxes influence purchasing decisions.

Conversely, the Federation of National Commercialists (Fenalco) supports the removal of these taxes. Fenalco President Jaime Alberto Cabal stated that the levies, implemented during the Petro administration, have increased prices for consumers and placed financial pressure on small neighborhood shops. The trade group claims these taxes have significantly driven up food inflation for specific categories, such as sweets and bakery products, impacting the purchasing power of low-income families.