Análise da comercialização de produtos abrangidos pela Norma Brasileira de Comercialização de Alimentos para Lactentes e Crianças de Primeira Infância, Bicos, Chupetas e Mamadeiras – NBCAL no ambiente alimentar de varejo do município de Maceió/AL

Abstract

Despite recent advances in Brazil, the latest national surveys show stagnation in breastfeeding indicators, at low rates, mainly in the Northeast. The “Brazilian Standard for the Commercialization of Food for Infants and Young Children, Nipples, Pacifiers and Baby Bottles” (NBCAL) contributes to the construction of food environments that protect the breastfeeding and its strengthening represents a path to breaking with the stationarity of indicators. The objective of this research was to evaluate violations of the NBCAL in the retail food environment in Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil. This is a cross-sectional study, conducted between April/22 and March/23, through an audit of all food sales points that sold products regulated by NBCAL around primary health units and early childhood education centers. 1,176 food sales points were identified and 103 (8.8%) presented some violation of the NBCAL. The infractions were concentrated in pharmacies (n=67) and supermarkets (n=27). When registering these two types of establishments (n=601), we observed that 41.6% of food sales points linked to retail chains (n=161) presented some infraction (n=67). The probability of identifying an infraction in retail chains was 6.8 times (4.5- 10.2 CI95%) higher than in non-franchise food sales points. The most frequent infractions by product group occurred in follow-up formulas for early childhood (27.5%), follow-on formulas and formulas for infants (21.9%) and dairy compounds (19.7%). The most used strategy of commercial promotion was the special exhibition (74.7%). The retail food environment in Maceió/AL presented violations of the NBCAL, with pharmacy and supermarket chains representing the main threats to breastfeeding. Considering the responsibilities of distributors and the food industry provided for in the NBCAL, this work presents abusive commercial practices that negatively impact the human right to adequate food and nutrition for infants.