Expansion of Pilot Project for 'Healthy Food' for Children Visiting Convenience Stores

The pilot project for 'healthy food' will be expanded to help children who visit convenience stores develop good eating habits.

Pilot Project for Healthy Food. [Photo by Ministry of Food and Drug Safety]

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced on the 22nd that the 'healthy food pilot project,' which distinguishes and labels foods with less sugar than commercial products for sale, will be conducted until October 31. The ministry explained that this pilot project will be expanded in cooperation with the convenience store industry so that children can choose healthier and more nutritious foods at convenience stores where they mainly purchase food.

Last year, the project was mainly conducted at convenience stores near schools, but this year it will include areas frequently visited by children such as academy districts and libraries, with 157 convenience stores in the metropolitan area (GS25, CU, 7-Eleven, Emart24) participating. Convenience stores participating in the project will display a unique mark near the store entrance to indicate that they operate a healthy food corner for promotion.

In addition, signage indicating the healthy food corner will be attached to easily identify shelves with products that help children develop proper eating habits, such as beverages certified for quality as children’s preferred foods with reduced sugar, as well as fruits and salads. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety stated, "We will continue to actively promote projects to improve the dietary environment so that children can develop proper eating habits from an early age."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.