On 6 December, the Senator Ricardo Monreal Ávila proposed a decree to extend the ban of ‘HFSS’ food advertising to minors on print and online media, as well as radio, TV, and cinemas. The decree would amend articles 301 and 421 of the General Food Law, which currently only prohibits advertising of ‘HFSS’ foods in schools.

Referring to examples set by other countries such as Chile or the UK, the initiative also aims at restricting:

* Sponsorships and advertising to which minors could be exposed to, or which are directed at children and adolescents;

* Advertising via toys, contests, collectable products, accessories and other commercial strategies, which could incentivise consumption by minors.

To justify the need for such a law, the Senator’s proposal argues that self-regulation is ineffective. However, the decree does not refer to the TV food advertising restrictions developed by the Federal Committee for Protection from Sanitary Risks (COFEPRIS).

Senator Ricardo Monreal Ávila leads the majority in the Senate as coordinator of the left-wing parliamentary group ‘Morena’. He is also president of the political coordination board in charge of setting the agenda of the Senate.

Next steps: The text will be debated in the Senate in the coming months, and once approved, will be sent for discussion in the Chamber of Deputies.

If adopted, the decree would enter into force the day after its publication in the Official Journal. The Secretary of Health will then have 180 days from the publication in the Official Journal to issue an implementing act.

Kind regards,

Rebecka Allén
Policy Manager
World Federation of Advertisers