Consumers

Food labelling flawed

Food labelling schemes by the British food industry are flawed, according to a report by the National Heart Forum. The labelling is promoted by the food industry in competition with the Food Standards Agency’s ‘traffic light’ scheme, and displays the percentage Guideline Daily Amounts on the front of food products. The NHF report – Misconceptions and misinformation: The problems with the Guidelines Daily Amounts – was published on February 15, and found that the GDA labels can mislead and confuse consumers, are not appropriate for signposting and that companies are mixing GDAs with other claims and promotional labels. According to the NHF, consumer research shows that the FSA’s ‘traffic light’ system is better as it enables shoppers to make easy and healthy decisions when buying products.

Contact - National Heart Forum, 020 7383 7638, www.heartforum.org.uk

Environmental labelling

David Miliband, UK secretary of state for environmental, food and rural affairs, used his speech at the National Farmers’ Union conference in February to highlight the need for environmental standards for packaging to be made as important an issue as nutritional labelling on products. Although admitting this would not be an easy task, he stressed the importance of a new system, which in the longer term would cover a range of issues from energy inputs to waste management. He outlined how this wider shared vision would be achieved, with measures that include documents detailing policy on bio-energy and non-food crops, and the setting up of the Rural Climate Change Forum, which will advise government on how to ensure farmers are equipped with practical information to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

He added: “I want Defra to work with producers, retailers, environmental organisations and existing assurance bodies on whether we can agree on a green standard, that informs and empowers consumers and gives farmers recognition in the marketplace."

Contact - Defra, 020 7238 1134, www.defra.gov.uk

Carbon labelling

Walkers, Boots and Innocent have committed to use a “carbon reduction label” in a bid to reduce the carbon footprint of their products.

The “carbon reduction label”, launched by the Carbon Trust on March 16, will be trialled by the companies and it is hoped that the new label will enable consumers to make purchasing decisions based on the carbon content of the products on display – the number on the label will be a measure of
the product’s carbon emissions from source to shelf.

The Carbon Trust developed the label by using experimental methodology for measuring carbon and will be phased in over a wide range of products.

A special technical advisory group – with representatives from government, business, environment and consumer groups – will review the methodology during the initial phase of the scheme and will consult industry and other stakeholder groups in the process.

Contact - Carbon Trust, 0800 085 2005, www.carbontrust.co.uk

Health wash

Over half of the most heavily advertised children’s food and beverage products that feature fruit on their packaging do not contain fruit at all, according to a study by the Strategic Alliance for Healthy Food and Activity Environments, a US-based coalition of nutrition and physical activity advocates.

Meanwhile, Nestlé and Kellogg’s are among the companies criticised in a recent report for promoting high-sugar, high-fat brands to children, sometimes presenting them as healthy options.

Choice, an Australian consumer watchdog, looked at the links between consumption of these snacks and the incidence of childhood obesity. Foods that Make Kids Fatter Faster focuses on ten brands aimed at children that contributed to an energy intake in excess of the recommended daily limit for children.

Contact - Strategic Alliance for Healthy Food and Activity Environments, 001 510 444 7738, www.eatbettermovemore.org; Choice, www.choice.com.au

Caffeine labelling

Coca-Cola North America will expand its nutrition labelling to include caffeine content on all of its drinks products in the United States that contain the ingredient.

The roll-out will start with Coca-Cola Classic in May and will expand to other brands during the year. The new labels will provide information on the exact amount of caffeine in each serving of the drink.

Contact - Coca-Cola Company, www.thecoca-colacompany.com