New front-of-package labels are being rolled out in the UK as a way of trying to assist customers in making healthier food choices. As obesity levels rise, experts are claiming that the lack of education about what’s really in our food is to blame for the number of people eating a poor diet. The label in question uses a traffic light system to highlight the worst offenders, in keeping with the GDAs or Guideline Daily Amounts, to show how much daily fat, salt, sugar and calories we’re eating in each 100g portion. All of the major supermarket chains, including Sainsburys, Asda, Morrisons and Tesco, have announced that they will use the label on their own packaging as well, in addition to large brands such as Premier Foods, McCain Foods and Nestle UK. The change comes after research found that consumers were confused by various schemes, reducing the likelihood that they would use the information provided.
There are a number of health problems associated with obesity, and our increasing sedentary lifestyles and poor diets have led to this condition being a major health risk for various countries. Obesity costs the NHS over £5 billion every year – money which could be being spent on research for other health risks that aren’t lifestyle generated. A report published in 2011 found that 61 percent of adults in England are overweight or categorised as obese, which is higher than almost all other developed countries. The report also stated that one-third of 10 to 11 year olds, and nearly a quarter of 4 to 5 year olds, are overweight or obese, as well. This is a dangerous age to be instilling such habits into children, as they will grow up to be more prone to health problems, and issues with their weight and body confidence. According to a recent study, women who used the labels were less likely to be overweight than those who didn’t, showing that this new initiative may be effective.
Research shows that of all the schemes rolled out for tackling obesity, this is working the best and people are using the information provided to make healthier choices when it comes to their weekly shop. Experts state that we all have a responsibility to combat the obesity crisis, through eating better diets and exercising more. This initiative shows that brands are making a more conscious effort to be open about what’s in their foods, so that we can then use the information effectively.
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