THE QUALITY OF REGULATORY DESIGN IN FRONT-OF-PACKAGE FOOD LABELING POLICIES IN LATIN AMERICA: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS FROM A REGULATORY QUALITY PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

This article evaluates, through a comparative approach, the quality of the normative design of FOP nutritional labeling policies across twelve countries in the region. Drawing upon the framework established by Jones et al. (2019), a normative quality index was constructed, integrating three dimensions—form, substance, and governance—and operationalizing them into six sub-dimensions. The results reveal significant variations in the coherence of normative design, with Chile, Colombia, and Peru in the upper tier, and Bolivia in the lower tier. Internal analysis indicates greater dispersion within the formal dimension and stronger correlations between the overall normative quality index and attributes of form and substance. This study proposes a research agenda to link the index to indicators of regulatory implementation and impact.