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Morten

Excellent UK Study

Last week FSA in the UK published this 158 page report on Comprehension and use of UK nutrition signpost labelling schemes. It's called the final report on front-of-pack (FOP) nutrition signpost labelling.

A lot of effort went into preparing this report. It has both qualitative and quantitative elements, and a group of independent experts oversaw the work.

I certainly like the qualitative part. It brings new and valuable insights into how and why consumers use FOP labeling. Or maybe more important why consumers do NOT read and use food labeling.

In the UK there is a labeling war between the Food and Drink Industry who advocates for GDA and FSA and others who advocate for traffic light labeling. This also determined what schemes were studied in this project. Unfortunately no alternatives Traffic Light and GDA were included. The FSA Traffic Light, the GDA label and the new hybrid (see below) are unfortunately not as fast and easy to read and interpret 'at a glance' as I think they ought to be.

The report concludes that consumers would like the FOP labeling mess in the UK cleaned up in order to avoid unnecessary confusion. And - SUPRISE - the report recommends a combination of Traffic Lights and GDA to be the way forward. This has the potential to be a possible compromise in the UK. You can see the hybrid label below. Notice the colors AND the %GDA values in the lower row.

Here are the important links:

The new report it self

An excecutive summary

Slides from the launch

What others wrote about the report:

Sustain wrote:
The public is very clear that they only want one labelling scheme and so industry is now under enormous pressure to use the hybrid labels, including traffic light colours and the words ‘high’, ‘medium’ and ‘low’. Any company that doesn’t now adopt the public’s favourite system will be exposed as putting their profits before their customers’ health.

Sue Davies from Which? told the Guardian:
If the food industry really is serious about helping consumers make healthy choices then it must accept the study's findings, start pulling in the same direction and adopt the labelling scheme that works best for consumers.

The British Heart Foundation in Medical News Today:
It's time for food companies to stop making excuses, support one system and ensure shoppers are given the 'at a glance' information they need.

EFSA confirmed 90 grams of sugar as an appropriate reference for GDA

On May 4th 2009 EFSA published their opinion on labeling reference intake values.

The values proposed by CIAA are confirmed as follows: EFSA are happy with references for total fat at 70 g, saturated fat at 20 g and salt at 6 grams. EFSA found 2000 kcal is good because it's lower than that of men, but what about kids?

The panel surprisingly also found the 90 g of sugar as an acceptable reference without even commenting on the practical implications for food labeling. This opinion will legitimize CIAA’s efforts to continue promoting GDA labels which are misleading consumers to eat more empty calories. EFSA choose to amputate the currently only instrument available to encourage European consumers to eat a nutrient dense diet. In times of obesity nutrient density is essential. We need more not less nutrients for each calorie.

This desicion will reduce the transparancy of the food market, and make it more difficult for consumers to see the difference between healthy and unhealthy foods, and furthermore couteract the efforts of nutrition education. The incentives for food industry to develop healthier foods, will be reduced and EFSA's descision will legitimize the increase use of added sugars in processed foods.

EFSA could have made clear that added sugar cannot be calculated and displayed as percent of total sugar when the reference is based on 50% indigenous (sugars naturally present in foods such as fruit, vegetables, cereals and lactose in milk products) and 50 % added sugar. EFSA could consider solving this challenge by proposing an alternative terminology where added sugar and indigenous sugar are not both called sugar.

In my opinion the sugar reference should be changed to 45 grams of added sugar. The caloric value of natural sugar is communicated effectively to consumers under calories on a food label. This would also bring simplicity and clearity to food labelling. Which is needed to improve public health.

See also stopGDA.eu and foodnavigator

Coke went over the line in Australia

Coca-Cola in Autralia ran this advert on October 11th 2008.

Coke claimed that it was a "myth" that Coke made children fat or caused their teeth to rot using celebrity endorsements.

And they soon after gave wrong data regarding Cokes content of caffeine.

The powerful Australian Competition and Consumer Commission on Thursday ordered Coke to correct its claims.

Coke agreed to make corrective advertizing. See the corrective advertizing here.

The company for a period of 3 years, will also ensure that it will not make the claims that:

• that consumption of Coca-Cola cannot contribute to weight gain unless that claim can be substantiated;
• that consumption of Coca-Cola cannot contribute to tooth decay or that tooth decay is declining globally, unless the particular claim made can be substantiated;
• that 250ml of the Coca-Cola Product bearing the brand name “Diet Coca-Cola” contains only one half of the amount of caffeine as that contained in a cup of tea, without further qualification, unless that claim can be substantiated.

This case was commented in an editorial of The Lancet. And Watchdog orders Coca-Cola to correct 'teeth-rotting myth' advert in The Telegraph and Food industry 'denying links to health problems' says The Lancet. And the official ruling from ACCC

Vegetarians have better sex!

Enjoy this naughty TV commercial from Peta:



Here is a new Danish TV-commercial from the retailer SPAR supporting the sexy undertones in 6 A Day. In Danish only: