Shelves with chocolate and chewing gum, previously located near the checkout counters, have disappeared from the Carrefour supermarket in Abu Dhabi. This change is one of the first visible signs of a new directive requiring supermarkets across the emirate to exclude unhealthy food and beverages from so-called 'high-traffic zones.'
These three locations—store entrances, aisle ends, and checkout areas—are usually the most valuable retail spaces, encouraging unplanned purchases. Rodha Mohammed, a resident of Oman, noted that this change will affect more than just shopping habits. She stated: 'This is an excellent, healthy step that will change many of our and our children's habits, especially impulse buying at the checkout. The checkout is a temptation zone; we buy things that are not good for our health just to fill waiting time.'
Omayma Saleh, a resident of Jordan, expressed concern about the store entrance. She said: 'Unhealthy products at the supermarket entrance have always worried me, especially in those tempting promotional displays. They distract you from your real needs. What I saw at Carrefour was wonderful. Displaying clean, healthy products upfront will prompt people to think before buying.'
For Mansour Al Hashmi, an Emirati citizen, this change is important for the family budget. He reported: 'We are a family of more than nine people, so I carefully monitor what I buy. What pleases me is that sweets are starting to disappear at the cashier. If you are buying for all the children at once, the cost is high, and the harm is even greater.'
The changes are not limited to store layout. Packaged products increasingly feature Nutri-Mark labeling—a rating system on the front of the package that ranks items from A (highest nutritional value) to E (lowest). Jamal Abdulaziz, a resident of Egypt, noted that these labels have changed the contents of his cart. He explained: 'The labeling pushed me to replace some products after seeing the sugar and hydrogenated oil levels in them. Honestly, I never paid attention before, and most of them were my daily staples: chocolate, chips, juices. I still love them, but my health is more important in the long run.'
Maha Ahmed, an Emirati citizen, added that the TAMM application fills gaps not yet covered by labeling. She clarified: 'I use the TAMM app, and it helps a lot, especially with products that don't yet have labels, because it classifies the products for you. I hope this initiative will eventually extend not only to food but also to baby, body, and skin care products.'
Khaleej Times personally observed this change at one of the Carrefour branches in Abu Dhabi, and social media reports indicate that the retail chain is gradually implementing this directive across all its stores in coordination with relevant authorities. This step is part of broader Abu Dhabi efforts, which include banning fast-food advertising and tightening school meal standards. This approach aims to change the environment around consumers rather than directly restricting their choices.
Claims are often circulated on social media that consuming water from plastic bottles can lead to cancer, causing concern among many people. This raises the question of whether ordinary plastic bottles pose a health threat and if this is dangerous.
There is an opinion that if a plastic bottle is exposed to heat for a long time, the probability of releasing the chemical substance BPA increases. Furthermore, microplastics have become a subject of concern in recent years because they have been found in many human organs and in blood. Since these tiny plastic particles can enter water, there is a risk of them entering the body, given that BPA is considered a carcinogen.
To find out the experts' views, the publication spoke with Dr. Rohit Kapoor from the Oncology Department of Max Medical Center in Ghaziabad. Dr. Rohit notes that most studies conducted so far have been based on laboratory and animal models. Although some effects of these chemicals and microplastics have been observed in these studies, a direct proof of the link between drinking water from a plastic bottle and the development of cancer in humans has not yet been established, so further scientific research is necessary.
Nevertheless, Dr. Rohit advises trying to avoid drinking from plastic bottles. If the use of plastic is unavoidable, several precautions should be taken. It is necessary not to leave plastic bottles in direct sunlight or in hot cars. Bottles that are cracked, discolored, or old should not be reused. Ideally, glass or stainless steel bottles should be chosen for drinking.
Dr. Rohit emphasizes that research on microplastics and related chemicals is ongoing, but remaining vigilant remains extremely important. Therefore, if one must drink water from a plastic bottle out of necessity, it should not be used more than once or twice.
According to health officials, the fifth person has died from legionellosis in connection with the ongoing outbreak of the disease in the Upper East Side area of the city.
The New York City Department of Health reported that at least 82 cases of the disease have been identified, and eight people were hospitalized as of Tuesday. Fifty-six patients have been discharged from hospitals since the start of the outbreak.
Legionnaires' disease is a severe form of pneumonia caused by a bacterium that actively develops in warm, stagnant water. Health specialists have focused their efforts on inspecting cooling towers, which are part of the air conditioning systems of large buildings. Property owners were ordered to drain and disinfect those cooling towers that tested positive.
As of Tuesday, health authorities stated that 34 cooling towers in 33 buildings containing the live bacteria have been cleaned and disinfected. Nine cooling towers tested negative, and results from the remaining 140 cooling towers are expected within the next week.
According to data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, legionellosis is treatable, but about 10 percent of patients die due to complications. This outbreak occurred less than a year after another case in the Harlem area of New York, which affected over 100 people and claimed seven lives.
