labelling on fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt is a priority. ... /government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/fi
Briefing: Front-of-pack nutritional labelling We support the Government’s recommended voluntary colour-coded nutritional frontof-pack labelling scheme.
Nutrition labelling and public health Given the high levels of diet-related chronic diseases in the UK today - including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and diet-related cancer - clear and consistent colour-coded labelling on fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt is a priority. Poor diets contribute significantly to the onset of these diseases, for example, diets high in fat, sugar and salt and low in fruit and vegetables account for around 30% of all coronary heart disease1 and around 5% of all cancers in the UK are linked to excess bodyweight.2 Being overweight or obese increases the risk of developing these conditions, and obesity levels remain high across the UK - around 62% of UK adults and 30% of children are overweight of obese.3 It is estimated that overweight and obesity costs the UK £16 billion.2 Clear and consistent front-of-pack (FoP) nutritional labelling enables consumers to understand, at-a-glance, what’s in the food they’re buying. This helps consumers take greater personal responsibility for their food choices. FoP labelling can also incentivise manufacturers to reformulate products for a healthier profile.
The Government recommended voluntary scheme The UK Government’s ability to legislate for one single FoP labelling system is restricted by EU Regulation No. 1169/2011 - the provision of food information to consumers (EU FIC). However, under Article 35 of this regulation, member states are granted the autonomy to go beyond the mandatory food information requirements and recommend to industry further additional forms of expression. In June 2013, under this Article, the UK Government recommended a hybrid model of FoP labelling to industry for voluntary adoption. The labels feature the following: Information on the energy value in kilojoules (kJ) and kilocalories (kcal) per 100g/ml and in a specified portion of the product Example of UK scheme Information on the amounts, expressed in grams, of fat, saturated fat (saturates), (total) sugars and salt, in a specified portion. Portion size must be expressed in an easily recognisable way, for example ‘¼ of a pie’ or ‘1 burger’
Percentage of Reference Intakes (%RIs) based on the amount of each nutrient and energy value in a portion. Red, amber and green colour-coding for 100g/ml of product, unless portion is above 100g/ml in which case the colours are assigned by total portion size. Companies may additionally use the text ‘high’, ‘medium’, and ‘low’ to reinforce the colour coding messaging.4
The scheme provides consistency across the industry, thus making it easier for consumers to compare like-for-like products. The use of multiple formats of front-of-pack schemes across food companies has been shown to be confusing for shoppers.5 The Governmentrecommended scheme has now been adopted by all major UK supermarket retailers and a number of manufacturers.
Why we support the Government recommended colour-coded FoP scheme
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Independent research shows that colour-coded labels work better than labels which show only Guideline Daily Amounts (GDAs), to enable consumers to assess nutrient levels and to compare between different products.6 The research shows that consumers prefer FoP labels containing colours, the words ‘high, medium and low’, and GDAs (now referred to as reference intakes RI). 70% of the UK public find the scheme easy to understand with 81% of the public using the label to aid their purchase decision.7 Colours are quick and simple to interpret, and consumers need and want information at-a-glance. A red label signifies high levels of a particular nutrient. It does not mean stop, or demonise any one nutrient, instead, the colour-coding is a mechanism to inform consumers about the nutritional content of the food they are buying. The colour-coding helps people who are less numerate or for whom English is not their first language. Critically, colour-coding performed significantly better than labels without colours across all socio-economic groups.8
World Health Organization (2002) The World Health Report 2002. ‘Reducing risks promoting healthy life’. World Health Organisation. Geneva 2 NICE Public Health Guidance 53. ‘Managing overweight and obesity in adults – lifestyle weight management services.’ 3 BHF calculations for the UK based on latest health survey figures. 4 Department of Health (2012) ‘Guide to creating a front of pack (FoP) nutrition label for pre-packed products sold through retail outlets.’ https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/300886/2902158_FoP_Nutrition_2014.pdf 5 Draper A, K. (2011) ‘Front-of-pack nutrition labelling: are multiple formats a problem for consumers?’ The European Journal of Public Health http://eurpub.oxfordjournals.org/content/23/3/517 6 FSA (2009) ‘comprehension and use of UK nutrition signpost labelling schemes’ Accessed at http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/pmpreport.pdf 7 YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2,037 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 13th - 14th November 2014. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+). 8 FSA (2009) ‘Comprehension and use of UK nutrition signpost labelling schemes’ www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/pmpreport.pdf
