Mass Media Campaign Launched to Promote Front-of-Package Warning Labelling in Ghana

SEND GHANA and the Ghana Food Policy Coalition have launched a mass media campaign to build support for the adoption of a mandatory front-of-pack warning labelling policy in Ghana.

The Director of Technical Coordination at the Ministry of Health, Dr Hafiz Adam Taher, conducted the launch on behalf of the Minister of Health.

In attendance were a cross-section of stakeholders, including government ministries and agencies, civil society organisations, academia, professional groups and associations, the media and members of the coalition. Key among them were the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Ministry of Education, Ghana Standards Authority, Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations, National Council of Parent Teacher Associations and the University of Ghana School of Public Health. Vital Strategies, the Global Health Advocacy Incubator and other development partners were also present to support the event.

The mass media campaign, which is supported by Vital Strategies, will use television, radio, newspapers, billboards and digital platforms to build public support for FOPWL by increasing awareness of the dangers associated with the consumption of foods with excess sugar, salt and unhealthy fats. Messages will be shared in English and selected local languages, with a particular focus on parents and young people. 

Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Health, Dr Taher emphasized that healthy eating and active living are “important foundations for preventing disease, maintaining productivity and improving the quality of life of our people.” He noted that FOPWL will make nutrition information more visible and easier to understand, empowering consumers to make healthier choices at the point of purchase.

Dr Taher called on industry stakeholders to embrace transparency and explore product reformulation, while urging the media to help translate technical nutrition information into clear, accessible messages for the public. 

He called on all Ghanaians to: “Let us eat healthy. Let us live actively. And together, let us build a healthier Ghana.”   

Harriet Nuamah Agyemang, SEND GHANA’s Country Director, underscored the urgency of the campaign by sharing personal stories of families affected by diabetes, hypertension, and stroke. She reminded participants that “close to 45 percent of deaths in Ghana is as a result of NCDs,” stressing that poor diets are a major contributor. “Every Ghanaian has the right to know what is in their food,” she said, adding that FOPWL is about empowerment and saving lives.

Various speakers echoed the importance of the campaign and urged SEND GHANA and its partners to go beyond the media to engage with Ghanaians in the rural parts of the country through drama and other effective strategies.

The launch of the mass media campaign marks an important milestone for the food policy coalition, the health ministry and other partners working together to formulate a mandatory FOPWL policy and other policies that will improve the food environment and safeguard public health.