China Launches Positive Front of Pack Logo

November 7th, 2017

Criteria and Approach Based Largely on Choices, Launch Marks New Partnership

A working group of scientists and health officials from the Chinese Nutrition Society, under the leadership of the Choices International Scientific Committee member Prof. Yang Yuexin, have launched a positive front-of-pack logo program, aimed at helping consumers in China make healthier choices and stimulating the industry to innovate and develop healthier products.

The Chinese Nutrition Society aimed to improved dietary habits related to non-communicable diseases resulting from intake of foods that exceed recommendations for fat, saturated fatty acids (SAFA), sodium and sugar. After researching front-of-pack labelling since 2007 and holding workshops with the Choices International Foundation in 2014, the Chinese Nutrition Society launched its own Healthier Choice program, based on a nutrient profiling scheme and implementation plan largely aligned with the Choices criteria and approach. An important and appropriate difference is that the criteria are customized to Chinese dietary patterns and products available on the Chinese market. Following the program launch, food manufacturer technical trainings, retailer trainings and consumer education campaigns will take place.

While Prof. Yang has served in a scientific capacity within the Choices International Foundation, this marks a closer collaboration and partnership between the two organizations. Both the Choices International Foundation and Chinese Nutrition Society aim to improve public health by guiding consumers towards healthier food choices and stimulating industry reformulation. Both organizations also aim to show leadership in non-communicable disease (NCD) prevention.

Positive Front-of-Pack Logos May Drive Purchasing Decisions

October 18th, 2017

New Research Sheds Light on Logo Use for Making Healthier Choices at the Supermarket

Buenos Aires, 18 October 2017 - Positive logos provide valuable information to consumers, according to new research. In The Netherlands, the average consumer bought more products displaying the Choices logo in the five product groups investigated. These preliminary results were presented today by Dr Sinne Smed (University of Copenhagen) at the 2017 International Congress of Nutrition in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The introduction of positive logos is increasing around the world as a way to help consumers find healthier products at a glance, within each food category. Such logos are based on product group specific criteria for levels of salt, sugar, saturated fat, energy and dietary fibre. Previous data from Scandinavia, The Netherlands and Singapore showed that these positive logos are well known and highly appreciated by consumers.

The research by Dr Smed is based on observed purchase data from representative consumer panels in the Netherlands and Denmark, that register their food purchases. Dr Smed and her team compared the data before and after the launch of the Keyhole logo in Denmark in 2009 and the Choices logo (“Ik Kies Bewust”) in The Netherlands in 2006 and found that consumers are willing to pay more for products displaying the logos. Hence, the logos provide valuable information to the consumers.

Furthermore, preliminary results based on the Dutch dataset show that consumers in the Netherlands respond positively to this guidance and increase their purchases of products with the Choices logo. The latter study focused on day-to-day product groups such as milk and yoghurt as well as less frequently bought products, such as oils & fats, cereals and sauces. The logo had the highest effect in product groups containing a mix of healthy and unhealthy products, i.e. in product groups where the logo can be used as guidance for a healthier choice. For healthy product groups, e.g. oatmeal or buttermilk, the logo had no significant effect. Likewise for product groups in which for example a high fat content determines the functionality of the product, such as margarine. The studies show no systematic patterns in consumer types that use the logos as a basis for their choice.

According to Sinne Smed, “Positive logos such as Keyhole or Choices can be a valuable tool to guide consumers towards a healthier diet.”

Dr Smed is an associate professor at the Department of Food and Resource Economics of the University of Copenhagen. This study was part of the EU funded CLYMBOL research project, a 4-year study of consumer understanding of claims and symbols with scientific partners from Denmark, The Netherlands and seven other European countries. These preliminary research findings are presented at the International Congress on Nutrition, 18 October in Buenos Aires. The final results will be submitted for peer-reviewed publication.

CLYMBOL Research Reveals Need for More Data on Effect of FOP Logos on Purchasing Behavior

October 5th, 2017

A recent study led by Associate Professor Sinne Smed in the Department of Food and Research Economics at the University of Copenhagen and published in the British Food Journal shed some light on how consumers who purchase products with nutrition symbols differ from other consumers with respect to socio-demographic characteristics. Using a representative panel of households in Denmark and the Netherlands, researchers examined purchasing habits across six product types, matching purchaser data with product labelling status.

Results showed that households with children are less likely to purchase labelled products, but urban dwellers were more likely to purchase them. In Denmark, there is a positive correlation between education level and logo purchases and in the Netherlands, there is a positive correlation with income. However, researchers conclude there is little evidence that these characteristics offer a clear explanation of purchasing behaviour and urge more studies on the effect of FOP logos on actual product choices.