UK Government Backs Hybrid Food Labelling System

The ‘hybrid’ labels, which are still voluntary, should be in use by next summer and will combine the current ‘traffic light’ colour-coding, guideline daily amounts and the amount of each nutrient in the product, for fat, saturated fat, salt, sugar and calories.

25 oct 2012 --- The UK Government has announced a consistent system of food labelling, which is expected to be in place by summer 2013. This is a voluntary scheme, but Government has said it is confident that all supermarkets will adopt the new system.

The ‘hybrid’ labels, which are still voluntary, should be in use by next summer and will combine the current ‘traffic light’ colour-coding, guideline daily amounts and the amount of each nutrient in the product, for fat, saturated fat, salt, sugar and calories.

The announcement is the result of a three-month consultation by the Department of Health to establish what a consistent, clear front of pack label should look like. Consensus Action on Salt & Health (CASH) and other health charities including the British Heart Foundation, Which?, National Heart Forum and Diabetes UK fed into the consultation, having long campaigned for clearer labelling.

The hybrid labelling system includes traffic light colours (red, amber and green), text (high, medium or low) and percentage Guideline Daily Amounts (% GDAs). The Government will now work with industry to finalise the label design.

Diabetes UK welcomes the Government’s announcement, and recommended the hybrid system as part of the consultation process.

Barbara Young, Chief Executive of Diabetes UK, said, “The Government’s decision to recommend a front-of-pack food labelling system that combines traffic lights, Guideline Daily Amounts and high/medium/low text, is great news for consumers and represents a positive step in the effort to reduce the number of people in the UK who are overweight or obese.”

“We are glad the Government has listened to the campaigners and food retailers who have called for this very measure. We now want to see all retailers adopting the recommended labelling from next summer as recommended and the Government fully promoting this scheme as a way to give people across the UK easy access to the information they need.”

“With around a quarter of adults in the UK now obese, which means they are at increased risk of Type 2 diabetes and other chronic conditions, it is important that we have food labelling that makes it as easy as possible for people to make healthy choices.”

Katharine Jenner, Campaign Director of CASH comments: “CASH wants to see salt intakes come down to below the recommended 6g a day, to reduce the number of people suffering from strokes, heart attacks or heart disease. Until salt levels come down across the whole of the food industry, clear labelling is the only practical solution for people to take responsibility for their health. As such, we have long campaigned for the introduction of a single front of pack nutrition labelling scheme in the UK and are thrilled with the outcome of today’s consultation.”

“It is vital that the scheme is rolled out not just in the big retailers, but across all food brands, on food eaten both in and out of the home. Any food manufacturer that now fails to improve their labelling is acting irresponsibly and is putting the public’s health at risk.”

Speaking about the announcement, The British Dietetic Association Chairman, Helen Davidson, commented: “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.”