Colombo Municipal Council Enacts New School Canteen Food Policy

The Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) has unanimously approved a new School Canteen Food Environment Policy, set to be implemented across all schools within its administrative area. This initiative is designed to foster healthier eating habits, enhance the nutritional quality and safety of food, and reduce children's exposure to items high in fat, sugar, and salt. The policy, passed without debate during a recent council session, seeks to address the rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases like obesity among schoolchildren. Under the new regulations, popular items such as rolls, patties, samosas, cutlets, ice cream, ice packets, flavored milk, biscuits, and yogurt drinks are explicitly banned from school canteens. The policy also outlines six main categories of permitted foods, prioritizing nutritious and local options, with implementation to be overseen by Public Health Inspectors and Medical Officers.