Comparing the Extent and Nature of Unhealthy Food

and Drink TV Marketing to Girls and Boys across Nine

Countries in Asia

Malaysia Data Workshop

Hosted by Taylor’s University

8-10 May 2023

IDRC TV Project

Date: 8-10 May 2023

Taylor’s University
 Country: Nepal
Institution: South Asian Infant
Feeding Research Network-Nepal
(SAIFRN-Nepal)
 Country Team: Nepal

Additional Slide Set 1

Overview and key findings for your own country
 Country Team: XXX

Overview and Key Findings

Instruction to country team:

Provide a status overview for each country as background to the
country’s reported key findings.

The country will relate to marketing of follow-up formulae etc.

Please add more slides as needed.

 Country Team: Nepal

Additional Slide Set 2

State of food marketing regulation
 Country Team: Nepal
State of Food Marketing Regulation (1)
Q1: Is there any existing law in your country that regulates food marketing
to children? If yes, please state it:

The Acts in Nepal that regulates food marketing to children are:

1. Mother’s Milk Substitute Act (1992) 2. The Tobacco Product (Control and Regulation) Act,
2010, 3. Alcohol Control Act (Amended in 2001)/ Alcohol Regulation (amended in 2008) 4.
National Policy on Regulation and Control of Alcohol-2017”

Apart from the above mentioned Acts, country has yet to draft policy that regulates the marketing
and consumption of unhealthy food (High Sugar, Salt and Fat) and sugary beverages to children

Some other general policies that are related to food marketing are:
• Minimum Mandatory Quality standard for Food and Animal feed, (Department of Food
Technology and Quality Control (DFTQC)/ Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development
(MoALD), 2021
• Dietary supplement regulation operational guideline
 Country Team: Nepal
State of Food Marketing Regulation (2)
• Food Act 1967 ( Amended in 2017) and Regulation 1970 (Amended in 2018) (https://dftqc.gov.np/?
cat=8)
• National Food Safety Policy 2076 (https://dftqc.gov.np/?p=139)
• Directives on Hotel/Restaurant Standardization based on food safety (2017) ((https://dftqc.gov.np/?
p=139)
• Dietary Supplement Guideline 2072 ((https://dftqc.gov.np/?p=139)
• Milk and Dairy Product Safety and Quality Standard Guideline 2017
• Directives on Production, Processing and Distribution of Meat and Meat Products 2073
• National Food Safety Policy. DFTQC (2016)
• Right to Food and Food Sovereignty Act (2018)
• Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding 2014
• School Health and Nutrition Strategy, 2008, MoHP
• Basic School Health and Nutrition Program Implementation Guideline, 2011
• National Framework of Child Friendly School (MOEST), 2010
 Country Team: Nepal
State of Food Marketing Regulation (3)
Q1.1: If yes, what are the media & places covered by the law? (e.g., TV,
school, area around children’s schools, etc.)?
• By law, tobacco and alcohol products and mother’s milk substitutes should
not be advertised on TV, Radio, Newspapers for all population. It is also
banned in social media. However, it has not been well monitored and
controlled. Except medical prescription by licensed doctor, mother’s milk
substitutes should not be sold and distributed in market and within health
care settings.
• By strategy and guidelines (School Health and Nutrition Strategy), the sale
and distribution of unhealthy foods and beverages is not allowed within
school premises. However, monitoring and implementation part is weak
and is not ideally practiced.
 Country Team: Nepal
State of Food Marketing Regulation
Q1.2: If yes, does this law allow for easy amendment in order to govern
regulation for TV food marketing?

The Federal Parliament has right to amend any national laws/acts by majority of parliamentarian.
The Federal Council of Ministers should draft the Act and table it in the Parliament. Also, the
Federal Council of Ministers has right to develop and or amend regulations for the implementation
of Act/Laws.

The political context of Nepal is unstable over the years as government is usually formed by
coalition of several political parties. Furthermore, political figureheads are driven by different
interests in legislation of any Act and Regulation. It is also experienced that improving food
marketing condition is usually not a priority political agenda. Hence, amending Laws and
Regulations is time consuming and challenging. Therefore, continuous coordination, and
advocacy with policy/law makers is required for this purpose.
 Country Team: Nepal

State of Food Marketing Regulation

Q1.3: If yes, does the existing law suffice to protect children from the
unhealthy food marketing? OR is a new law needed?

There is no direct and specific law in Nepal that protects children from exposure to unhealthy food
marketing and its consumption. Laws/policies listed in previous slides indirectly and inadequately
address this issue. Existing laws/policies do not suffice to protect children from exposure to
unhealthy food, its marketing and consumption. Therefore, a direct and specific law new law in
this regard is needed.
 Country Team: Nepal
State of Food Marketing Regulation
Q2: If no specific law exists, is a new law required?

Existing laws/policies do not suffice to protect children from exposure to unhealthy

food, its marketing and consumption. Therefore, children-focused direct and
specific new law in this regard is needed.

Q3: Is there a possibility for inclusion of the food marketing regulation into
an existing omnibus law?
There is possibility for inclusion of food marketing regulation in existing Food Act
and Regulation by its amendment. This requires a continuous and ardent
advocacy to policy makers and parliamentarians.
 Country Team: Nepal

Additional Slide Set 3

Dissemination plans for your own country
 Dissemination Plans Country Team: Nepal

Stakeholders:

The stakeholders will be from Ministry of Health and Population, Ministry of Agriculture and
Livestock Development, Department of Food Technology and Quality Control, Ministry of
Education, Science and Technology, Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizen,
Academician (Institute of Medicine, Tribhuwan University), Civil Society Organizations working
for child rights and health, International Non-Governmental Organization, SUN-Network, UN-
Agencies.
 Completed activities Country Team: Nepal

• The Nepal Country Team has already informed and coordinated with
Family Welfare Division/Ministry of Health and Population, Department of
Food Technology and Quality Control and Nepal Food Scientists and
Technologists Association (NEFOSTA) about this study.
• We have also identified stakeholders for dissemination workshop
• We have already developed the agenda of Workshop and Group-work
templates
 Future Plans
Country Team: Nepal

• Study findings will be disseminated through in-person workshop.

• Group-work and discussions in workshop with the participants to identify issues, recommended
solutions, and related impact.
• Based on the group-work, policy brief will be developed.
• Research interest from workshop participants will be identified based on priority and rationale
on sustainable food environment and marketing: sustainable and environment friendly food
system, climate change and food system, healthy food supply, food safety, resource and
capacity, education and communication
• Report of the workshop with recommendations will be prepared and printed.
• This report will be submitted to relevant ministries and organizations.
• The findings of study will be submitted for publication in national journal.
 Future Plans
Country Team: Nepal

• Initially, country team planned to conduct National workshop prior to the Data analysis
workshop in Malaysia. However, the activity is postponed and will resume after the Data
Analysis Workshop. We anticipate there will be important takeaway from the data workshop that
would add on to the dissemination workshop in Nepal. This is planned to be held in the month of
May 2023.
• Report writing and dissemination will be completed by the end of July.
 Future Plans (Publication and Country Team: Nepal

Presentation Options)
• The publication will be done in any one among following Journals with the focus on Top 5
advertised food categories and the powerstrategies:
1. Nepal Public Health Association
2. Nepal Medical Association
3. Nepal Food Scientists and Technologist Association (NEFOSTA)
4. Nepal Health Research Council

• Cross-country/regional Comparison and Findings (Nepal-India-Bangladesh and Sri Lanka)

• Presentations:
- will be done at NEFOSTA Symposium (Co-Hosted by Department of the Food Technology
and Quality Control, Feed THE FUTURE/USAID, Tufts University/USA, Baliyo Nepal Initiative and
Central Campus of Technology/TU)
• Government – MoHP, MoEST, MoWCSC, MoAD (DFTQC)
• Policy Brief preparation and dissemination