The Sri Lankan government has introduced new regulations on marketing food and beverages to children, set to take effect on1st of January 2025, under the Food (Labelling & Advertising) Regulations 2022.
The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce played a significant role in shaping these regulations, contributing expertise in food science, nutrition, and international regulatory standards during a decade-long consultation with the Ministry of Health.
The new rules prohibit featuring children under 12 in advertisements for food and beverage products and restrict advertising or promoting these products to children without prior approval from the Ministry of Health.
Additionally, updated food labelling requirements will come into effect on 1st of July 2025, mandating clear nutritional information and ingredient lists to empower consumers to make informed choices.
These changes address regulatory gaps from 2005 and align Sri Lanka’s framework with international standards, ensuring consumer protection while modernizing the industry.
Buwanekabahu Perera, CEO of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, emphasized the importance of balancing consumer protection with business interests, calling for a collaborative approach to ease the industry’s transition to these new regulations.
