Have Your Say on the Belize Bureau of Standards’ Proposed New Food Labeling Rules

Big changes are coming to the way food is labelled in Belize. The Belize Bureau of Standards has proposed new, mandatory regulations for prepackaged foods, aiming to make labels clearer and more informative for consumers.

The Bureau said in its statement that the draft standard, Belize 1: Part 3:2024, would require nutritional facts, allergen warnings, and Spanish-language labels on all food products. 

“The Belize 1: Part 3:2024 (Revised) Specification for Labelling Part 3: Labelling of Prepackaged Foods.
The standard for prepackaged foods has been revised to align with current labelling trends and in an effort to prevent fraud and deception arising from misleading labelling, as well as to provide adequate information to the consumer or user of prepackaged foods. Changes include language requirements to recognise product labels in Spanish; addition of nutritional facts declaration as a core requirement; and emphasis on allergen labelling. It is intended that all manufacturers, importers, distributors, and other entities engaged in the production or trade of pre-packaged foods in Belize shall comply with the requirements of this standard,” stated the Bureau. 

The revisions seek to address growing concerns about fraud and provide Belizean manufacturers with the tools to meet regional and international market requirements. The Bureau is now inviting public comments on the proposed changes, with feedback due by December 31, 2024.