Bill 626.

Summary.

The bill establishes a framework for consumers to obtain reference calorie information about food and beverages offered by chain restaurants. It would cover restaurants operating under the same brand, franchise or trade name that have three (3) or more establishments in Panama and offer identical or substantially similar menus. It covers dining on the premises, takeaway orders, home delivery and purchases through digital platforms or mobile applications. Establishments with a single location and those outside a chain or franchise are excluded. It defines chain restaurant, menu, calorie information and serving, and requires the information to be clear, visible and accessible when consumers decide what to buy.

Covered restaurants would have to state the reference calorie content of each food or beverage item in kilocalories (kcal) per serving, clearly and visibly on physical, digital or platform menus. They could place it beside the product name or in the same visual space as the price without necessarily changing the menu’s main design. To calculate it, they could use analyses by qualified professionals or specialized laboratories, internationally recognized nutrition databases, or calculations based on recipe ingredients and serving sizes. Technological tools or specialized software could also be used if the information presented is reasonably accurate.

The Ministry of Health (Ministerio de Salud) would publish technical guides and reference models, define calculation criteria and technical standards, oversee compliance and promote nutrition education. It could coordinate guidance and training with chain restaurant associations, universities and consumer organizations. Restaurants could voluntarily add information on fats, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates, fiber, sugars, protein and possible allergens, as well as other nutritional information and versions in other languages.

Consumers would be able to consult the information at the establishment through printed documents, QR codes, screens, links to official restaurant websites, applications or platforms; restaurants could combine these methods. For digital orders and home delivery, the information would have to be visible before purchase confirmation, with tools to facilitate access for people with disabilities. The Ministry of Health and the Consumer Protection and Competition Defense Authority (Autoridad de Protección al Consumidor y Defensa de la Competencia, ACODECO) would oversee compliance. The bill provides fines ranging from two thousand five hundred balboas (B/. 2,500.00) to twenty thousand balboas (B/. 20,000.00), according to severity and repeat violations; a third repeat violation also entails closure of the establishment. The Ministry of Health would establish the administrative penalty procedure, and both authorities could create consumer complaint channels.

Fast food chains would have one year from the regulations to comply. The text designates October 16 each year as nutrition and anti-hunger day, directs the Executive Branch to issue regulations within the first ninety days after the law takes effect, and provides for effect upon promulgation. Its provisions concern chain restaurants, ordering and delivery platforms, consumers and organizations of people with disabilities.