Arthur Ramoroka delivered an insightful and data-driven overview of South Africa’s evolving nutritional environment, highlighting the complex intersection between public health challenges, consumer behaviour, and regulatory pressures.

He began by unpacking South Africa’s “double burden” of malnutrition, the coexistence of undernutrition, particularly in children under five, and rising rates of overweight and obesity across all age groups. These trends, he noted, are already contributing to the increase in lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular conditions.

Arthur emphasised that the food industry sits at the centre of the food system, influencing everything from agricultural production to processing, marketing, and consumer choices. He outlined how this central role places both responsibility and opportunity on manufacturers to help drive healthier dietary patterns.

A key focus of his presentation was the evolution of consumer expectations from basic sustenance in the early 1900s, to enjoyment, health and wellness, immunity support post-COVID-19, and the modern demand for personalised, functional, and sustainable nutrition. Despite economic pressures, transparency and credible on-pack claims remain major drivers of consumer decisions, with over 60% relying on nutrition claims when choosing products.

Arthur also unpacked global and local nutrient profiling models, including proposed South African regulations R3337, highlighting how these frameworks aim to guide reformulation, improve transparency, and drive responsible marketing. He stressed the growing debate around front-of-pack labelling systems, noting that while widely adopted globally, evidence for their impact on obesity reduction remains mixed.

One of the most practical insights Arthur shared was on portion control — shown to be one of the most effective and affordable strategies for supporting healthier choices. He encouraged manufacturers to explore portion-controlled product design, right-sizing, reformulation, and clearer packaging cues to help consumers manage energy intake without compromising taste or affordability.

He also addressed the growing controversy surrounding “ultra-processed foods” and the limitations of classification systems like NOVA, advocating for a more balanced, science-based approach that recognises both nutritional value and food processing requirements.

Arthur concluded with a strong call for responsible, science-led innovation. He urged industry players to reformulate ahead of regulation, ensure claims are backed by evidence, prioritise taste and affordability, and embed nutrition at the centre of product design, not as an afterthought. The future of food, he emphasised, lies in personalised, data-driven, policy-aligned nutrition that meaningfully improves public health outcomes.

“The food industry sits at the centre of the system. Every decision we make — from sourcing to labelling — shapes the health of our nation.” Arthur Ramoroka