24.10.12
Standardised food labelling introduced
The supermarket industry is set to introduce a standardised, UK-wide system of food labelling, health minister Anna Soubry has announced.
The move aims to help people to make healthier choices about the food they eat.
The ‘hybrid’ system will use a combination of Guideline Daily Amounts (GDA), colour coding traffic lights and text specifying high, medium or low. The information will show fat, saturated fat, salt, sugar and calorie content in all food.
Many shops currently use some variants of the system, but the different approach to colours and layout can be confusing for shoppers. The scheme will be voluntary, but Tesco, Morrisons, Aldi and Lidl have announced plans to introduce the new labelling.
Soubry said: “The UK already has the largest number of products with front of pack labels in Europe but research has shown that consumers get confused by the wide variety of labels used. By having a consistent system we will all be able to see at a glance what is in our food. This will help us all choose healthier options and control our calorie intake.
“Obesity and poor diet cost the NHS billions of pounds every year. Making small changes to our diet can have a big impact on our health and could stop us getting serious illnesses – such as heart disease – later in life.”
A spokesman for Tesco said: “Customers want a consistent approach to labelling across the industry, and Tesco is committed to working with the Government, NGOs, public health organisations, other retailers and our supply chain to try to achieve this.”
British Heart Foundation chief executive, Peter Hollins, said: “This is a quantum leap for public health and the result of tireless work by health campaigners and positive action by our government.
“It’s now down to each and every retailer and manufacturer to step up and introduce these consistent front of pack food labels, including traffic light colours, so shoppers can make healthy food choices at a glance.”
The British Dietetic Association chairman Helen Davidson added: “The British Dietetic Association wants consumers to have access to clear, consistent, at glance information to help them to make informed choices about the food they buy and eat. Consumers need a quick understanding of the relative healthiness of a product. We welcome today’s announcement by the Government about front of pack labelling. This is a significant step forward.”
The scheme is expected to be in use by summer 2013.
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