O direito de escolha do consumidor e a necessária informação sobre alimentos com agrotóxicos

Abstract

This paper examines the contribution of the so-called “green revolution” to the irresponsible use of chemicals and pesticides in food production and proposes the consumer’s right of choice under the right/duty to provide information about the presence of pesticides in food. Thus, the research guiding question seeks to answer if the Brazilian Legislation is sufficient to oblige the supplier to indicate on the food packaging whether pesticides were used in the production process and what the risks are, so that the consumers can exercise their right of choice for safe and healthy food. The method used is the deductive, historical and comparative with support in bibliographical and documentary research. Therefore, it was taken the National Legislation and the Comparative Law as reference. It is concluded that the consumer’s right of choice is violated in Brazil when there is no information on the food packaging that indicates the presence or absence of pesticides, its quantities, the types that are included and the potential risks of consumption for their health and for the environment as well. Precarious, insufficient and inaccessible information about the pesticides’ risks have serious consequences for the entire Brazilian health and social security system. To correct this gap, it is indicated the approval of the pending Law Projects in Brazil with amendments from the Aarhus Convention that has not yet been ratified by Brazil.