‘Tremendously unfair’: Latin America’s strictest junk food law divides shoppers in Bogotá

Colombia became one of the first countries in the world to tax ultra-processed foods earlier this year and customers are feeling the impact

“Instead of eating a bag of crisps or Cheetos, I’ll go to the fruit section of the supermarket,” says Liliana Cano, a 43-year-old shopper at a supermarket in Bogotá. “But sometimes I still have a soft drink, as a little treat.”

Colombia became one of the first countries in the world to tax ultra-processed foods earlier this year. The ambitious new health measures, aimed at reducing the burden of non-communicable diseases such as cancer and diabetes, also include warnings carried on foods high in sugar, salt and other additives.

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