Ronnie Xaba|Published
The Healthy Living Alliance (HEALA) has urged the government to prioritise public health over commercial interests by expeditiously finalising front-of-pack food warning labels and bolstering the Health Promotion Levy on sugary drinks as Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana gets ready to deliver the 2026 Medium Term Budget Policy Statement on October 21.
HEALA stated on Wednesday that Regulation R3337, which was first published in draft form in April 2023, needs to be approved by December 10, 2026.
The draft regulations would introduce mandatory front-of-pack warning labels on processed and pre-packaged foods that are high in sugar, sodium or saturated fat, as well as on those containing artificial sweeteners.
Studies indicate that around 80% of packaged products on South African shelves would require such warnings. The regulations also include restrictions on marketing unhealthy foods to children and tighter rules on health and nutrition claims.
The sweet and the sour of the regulation
HEALA argues that these labels would make it easier for shoppers to identify unhealthy products at a glance, rather than having to interpret complex back-of-pack nutrition information, and could incentivise manufacturers to reformulate products to healthier standards.
The alliance is also pressing for the Health Promotion Levy (HPL) to be increased to 20% of the retail price, in line with World Health Organisation recommendations. It described the levy and the warning labels as complementary tools: labels give consumers clear information, while the levy uses fiscal policy to discourage excessive consumption of sugary drinks.
Nzama Mbalati, CEO of HEALA, said: “Public health is not commercial health. Government has a responsibility to protect the public interest, including regulating powerful commercial sectors. Industry participation in policy-making is legitimate, but it must not become a mechanism through which essential health protections are delayed indefinitely.”
HEALA expressed concern about the prolonged process around Regulation R3337, including discussions at the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac). While engagement between government, business, labour and community groups can identify practical challenges, the organisation warned that consultation must not become open-ended and called for greater transparency.
The cost of unhealthy advertising on health and the economy
The alliance linked the country’s health challenges directly to economic pressures. Preventable diet-related non-communicable diseases such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease place strain on families, productivity and the public health system.
The Department of Health reported more than 44 million screenings each for high blood pressure and elevated blood glucose in 2024/25. Obesity-related conditions already cost South Africa an estimated R33 billion a year (about 15% of government health spending) while type 2 diabetes alone is projected to cost R35.1 billion by 2030.
Recent modelling published in BMJ Public Health shows that raising the HPL to 20% could avert approximately 619,000 new type 2 diabetes cases, 285,000 prevalent cases and 26,000 deaths over 20 years, while saving R23.9 billion in healthcare costs compared with maintaining the current rate.
The same analysis found that keeping the levy below the 20% threshold has already cost the fiscus about R15.1 billion in forgone revenue between 2018/19 and 2023/24.
“Every rand spent treating preventable disease is a rand that could otherwise support stronger health services, education, infrastructure and social development. Prevention is fiscally responsible,” Mbalati said. “Health is not separate from the economy: healthy people are more productive, healthier children are better positioned to learn, and healthier households are better able to withstand economic shocks.”
HEALA pointed to Section 27 of the Constitution, which recognises the right of access to healthcare services, sufficient food and water, and requires the state to take reasonable measures to realise these rights progressively.
Finalising clear food-labelling rules and strengthening prevention measures, it said, are important steps towards a healthier food environment and a more sustainable fiscal position.
The alliance urged National Treasury and the Department of Health to show concrete progress on Regulation R3337 and keep the Health Promotion Levy firmly on the public-health agenda as the December deadline approaches.
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