Panama: Law No. 543 of 2026 on Origin Identification and Differentiation of Original, Substitute and Imitation Food Products

Panama's Law No. 543 of July 7, 2026 establishes mandatory origin identification and differentiation of original, substitute and imitation food products marketed throughout the country. Its purpose is to protect consumers and domestic producers, prevent misleading commercial practices and ensure clear information about the nature and origin of food products. The law requires commercial establishments to visibly identify food products as domestically produced or imported, display their names in Spanish and indicate their country of origin. Substitute and imitation products must carry specific signage and be displayed at least one meter away from original products. The law also establishes requirements intended to preserve the identification and commercial presentation of imported food products and prevent misleading representations concerning food origin, composition or condition. The Consumer Protection and Competition Defense Authority (ACODECO) is responsible for monitoring compliance and imposing administrative penalties. Fines range from one thousand to five thousand balboas for an initial violation and from five thousand and one to fifteen thousand balboas for repeat violations. The law also provides for consumer education and awareness measures, classifies certain violations as food fraud and repeals Law No. 113 of 2019. It was enacted and published on July 7, 2026 and is scheduled to enter into force one year later, on July 7, 2027. Its principal objective is to improve commercial information transparency and enable informed purchasing decisions without prohibiting the sale of substitute or imitation food products.