Sindh bans junk food, soft drinks for students

KARACHI: The Sindh Food Authority (SFA) has taken an essential step toward improving healthy eating among students by ordering educational institutions to restrict the selling of unhealthy and junk food on campus.

The action aims to restrict fried foods, soft drinks, and energy drinks in schools and colleges in the best interests of students’ health and welfare.

The SFA has asked administrations to make sure that canteens and food courts are effectively monitored to enforce this restriction, which is in line with a notification provided in 2018.

Similarly, the Peshawar administration has banned junk food sold around schools at a distance of 150 m. This ban was imposed under Section 144 and will last 30 days.

Vendors selling chips and other inferior forms of junk food will be legally pursued by the Peshawar government. The SFA’s letter is part of a major health plan to ensure safe food quality.

The authority, which began under the SFA Act, 2016, regulates and monitors food establishments in Sindh. The SFA undertakes food inspections and surveys, and violations of standards are enforced.

The SFA works with local and international organisations to promote the availability of healthy food across the province.