Zimbabwe to Crack Down on Ultra-Processed Foods to Tackle Diet-Related Diseases
Zimbabwe to Crack Down on Ultra-Processed Foods to Tackle Diet-Related Diseases
Over the next five years, Zimbabwe will tighten controls on the advertising, labelling, and distribution of foods high in sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats, particularly ultra-processed products linked to obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, as part of its National Development Strategy 2.
The reforms, supported by amendments to key legislation, also aim to boost public awareness of healthy eating.
According to the strategy, Zimbabwe will apply global best practices, using behaviour diagnosis, tailored messaging, and diverse channels—from mass media to interpersonal networks—to shift dietary habits. It will also adopt proven community-based approaches such as Positive Deviance, Nutrition Impact and Positive Practice, and Caregiver models.
The reforms will introduce mandatory front-of-pack nutrition labels, requiring manufacturers to display key nutrients, such as sugar, salt, total and saturated fat, and calories, in a clear, standardized format. This is expected to help consumers quickly assess a product’s health impact at the point of purchase.
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