Cofepris and SEP restrict sugary juices and dairy drinks in schools
Mexico’s Federal Commission for Protection against Health Risks (Cofepris) and the Secretariat of Public Education (SEP) have strengthened monitoring of food and drink preparation, distribution and sales across the national education system. The oversight focuses on school cooperatives and shops, where the authorities are restricting packaged juices, nectars and flavoured dairy drinks.
The measures align school sales with Mexico’s front-of-package warning-label rules under NOM-051. Prepackaged products carrying warnings for excessive free sugars, calories or sodium are excluded, as are products with precautionary statements about non-caloric sweeteners. The policy is intended to address overweight, childhood obesity and early metabolic disorders among pupils.
For beverages, the rules give unrestricted access to potable water and allow controlled sales of natural pasteurised fluid milk. Permitted milk may be whole, skimmed or semi-skimmed, provided it contains no added sugar. Commercial flavoured milk products face tighter restrictions because they commonly contain high-fructose corn syrup and artificial additives, according to the source report.
The requirements affect dairy processors and beverage companies that have supplied institutional school markets. Pasteurisation plants are expected to accelerate reformulation, remove added sugars and develop individual packages with traceable, straightforward ingredient lists. Dairy farms and producing regions also face pressure to preserve demand for 100% cow’s milk and avoid a reduction in children’s intake of dairy protein as sweetened products leave school sales.
Public-health and nutrition specialists cited in the report support the authorities’ measures. They said children require nutrient-dense foods containing calcium, phosphorus and vitamins A and D without the additional calories associated with refined sugars. Replacing industrial juices and sweetened drinks with unsweetened natural milk during school breaks was also linked in the report to lower risks of tooth decay and excess weight, as well as reduced exposure to highly sweet flavours.
Implementation depends on continued health inspections at schools and coordination among school committees, administrators and concession operators. These groups are responsible for following the list of permitted foods. The authorities said the approach is consistent with recommendations from the Pan American Health Organization and is intended to promote the consumption of water, natural milk and other less processed foods in schools.
