Ultra-processed food regulation efforts

In late July 2026, the United States Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee moved forward a federal bill that would require mandatory warning labels on ultra‑processed foods, ban junk‑food advertising to children, and task U.S. health agencies with studying the health impacts of such products. The proposal, championed by Senator Bernie Sanders, faced strong opposition from manufacturers, who warned it could raise costs and mislabel nutritious items.

Within days, attention turned to Latin America, where Mexico disclosed a long history of legal challenges mounted by major food and beverage firms against health‑related policies, including front‑of‑pack warnings and sugary‑drink taxes. At the same time, Chile’s Senate Health Committee prepared its own mandatory front‑of‑pack labeling law for ultra‑processed foods and a ban on advertising to minors, pending a final definition from the World Health Organization. These developments illustrate a coordinated push across the Americas to curb obesity and non‑communicable diseases through stricter labeling and advertising restrictions on ultra‑processed foods.