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immediate vicinity of schools and banning advertising and promotion of foods that
do not meet certain nutrition standards.
2.
Breast milk substitutes and baby food
81. Global sales of breast milk substitutes total $44.8 billion and are expected to
rise to $70.6 billion by 2019. 56 The International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk
Substitutes places restrictions on the sale of such substitutes, through prohibiting
public advertising, provision of free samples or promotion in health -care facilities.
It also requires all information on artificial feeding to explain the benefits of
breastfeeding and the hazards associated with artificial feeding. Although
some progress has been achieved, violations of the Code are widespread and only
39 countries have laws enacting all provisions.
82. Since 2011, Armenia, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Kenya, Kuwait, South
Africa and Viet Nam have adopted comprehensive measures to incorporate all of the
International Code provisions, sometimes even going beyond its minimum
standards. The proportion of countries with comprehensive legislation on the Code
is highest in South-East Asia, followed by Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean,
while the Americas, Western Pacific and European regions have the lowest
proportions.
83. Much remains to be done to end the inappropriate marketing of breast milk
substitutes, and countries are encouraged to adopt, amend and strengthen legal
measures in line with the International Code and relevant World Health Assembly
resolutions. In particular, it is necessary to ensure that national legislation
adequately covers substitute products aimed at children older than 12 months.
3.
Economic measures
84. Taxes on poor nutritional foods can also deter consumers. Norway has taxed
sugar, chocolate and sugary drinks since 1981, and many countries have followed
suit. Denmark taxes food containing saturated fat, Hungary imposes a “public health
tax” on the salt, sugar and caffeine content of various categories of ready-to-eat
foods, and in the United States, 33 states have issued some form of food tax. In the
Navajo Nation for instance, a tax is levied on food items with minimal to no
nutritional value.
85. Various countries have also taxed beverages that contain high levels of sugar
or other sweeteners. While in some countries the revenue goes directly to the
general budget or to the health sector, others use such funds for specific nutrition and health-related projects. For example, Mexico uses revenue to finance
programmes addressing malnutrition and obesity-related diseases, and the Navajo
Nation earmarks tax revenues for such projects as farming, healthy convenience
stores and health classes.
86. Raising tariffs on imported foods and drinks classified as “unhealthy” are
another tool, used for example by the Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Nauru
and Samoa. Others have lowered import tariffs on “healthy” foods that are not
procured locally. Targeted subsidies or price discounts can also enable people on
__________________
56
20/24
WHO, UNICEF and International Baby Food Action Network, Marketing of Breast-Milk
Substitutes: National Implementation of the International Code — Status Report 2016 (Geneva,
2016), p. 7.
16-13441
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