Consumer empowerment critical to reduce micronutrient deficiencies

Islamabad:In a bid to empower consumers to actively participate in food fortification, TheNetwork for Consumer Protection, in collaboration with local CSOs, initiated the process of edible oil/ghee products testing in two districts of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

Testing of Vitamin A and D in edible oil/ghee products is crucial for compliance with food standards. It not only checks the compliance level but also empowers consumers on redress mechanisms and boosts coordination between public and concerned departments, i.e., food authorities and consumer councils.

Nadeem Iqbal, the CEO of TheNetwork said, “Consumer participation is missing from the ongoing food fortification regulations. So the purpose of this project is to empower consumers to ensure effective food fortification. The initiative is not to undermine the industry but to collaborate with the industry, local markets and retailers and jointly enforce fortification.”

TheNetwork has a mix regulatory approach in which three provincial laws related to food fortification, right to information and consumer protection are being used in collaboration with local markets. TheNetwork does not want the food and consumer protection authorities close down businesses if some reports are not compliant as this would disequilibrium the supply and demand, but instead wants the amalgam of these four segments through soft regulations. The purpose is to bring consumers on the table with the industry, retailers and government officials. The Global Alliance is supporting the initiative for Improved Nutrition (GAIN).

The role of consumers is undeniably vital in ensuring compliance of food fortification standards at the grass-root level. Their part is also vigorous in engaging different business associations including retailers to ensure availability of the standardised fortified oil/ghee in the local market and testing the available fortified food products to ensure products are in-line with prescribed standards is more crucial as it serves the purpose of corporate accountability and consumer empowerment to recognize and exercise the rights that protect their wellbeing. In doing so, it is very critical that they have knowledge of relevant laws and forums/authorities where they can lodge their complaints. There are two forums to file complaints; one is the Food Authority and second is Consumer Council or Consumer Court, working in Punjab and KP.

Sharing the current nutrition status, Asif Waheed, Project Coordinator of TheNetwork, said nearly 40% of children under the age of five are stunted, 17.7% are victims of wasting, and 29% are underweight. Prevalence of malnutrition by gender shows that boys are more affected by malnutrition than girls. Children living in rural areas are malnourished as compared to children living in urban areas.

Chairman of the Market Committee Rawalpindi Raja Parvez said, the future of children in our hands; we should act to save children from malnutrition, testing of oil/ghee would help to identify compliance level and protect our next generations from various health issues. Syed Mohsin, Assistant Director of the Consumer Protection Council, Haripur, said there is need to empower consumers on food fortification and relevant standards as well as complaint procedures so that they can become aware of their rights and responsibilities.