Stars versus warnings: Comparison of the Australasian Health Star Rating nutrition labelling system with Chilean Warning Labels

Front-of-pack labels (FoPLs) are efficient tools for helping consumers identify healthier food products. Although discussions on nutritional labelling are currently ongoing in Europe, few studies have compared the effectiveness of FoPLs in European countries, including the Netherlands. This study aimed to compare five FoPLs among Dutch participants (the Health Star Rating (HSR) system, Multiple Traffic Lights (MTL), Nutri-Score, Reference Intakes (RIs), and Warning symbols) in terms of perception and understanding of the labels and food choices. In 2019, 1032 Dutch consumers were recruited and asked to select one product from among a set of three foods with different nutritional profiles, and then rank the products within the sets according to their nutritional quality. These tasks were performed with no label and then with one of the five FoPLs on the package, depending on the randomization arm. Finally, participants were questioned on their perceptions regarding the label to which they were exposed. Regarding perceptions, all FoPLs were favorably perceived but with only marginal differences between FoPLs. While no significant difference across labels was observed for food choices, the Nutri-Score demonstrated the highest overall performance in helping consumers rank the products according to their nutritional quality.

Download Full-text

Front-Of-Pack Nutrition Labelling: A Position Statement of the European Academy of Paediatrics and the European Childhood Obesity Group

Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism ◽

10.1159/000514336 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-6

Author(s):

Katarzyna Dereń ◽

Łukasz Dembiński ◽

Justyna Wyszyńska ◽

Artur Mazur ◽

Daniel Weghuber ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Childhood Obesity ◽

Position Statement ◽

Purchasing Decisions ◽

European Academy ◽

Nutrition Labelling ◽

European Academy Of Paediatrics ◽

Nutritional Qualities ◽

Packaged Foods ◽

Labelling System ◽

Composition Of Products

Background: Due to the growing risk of obesity and related diseases in the population of children, effective preventive measures are of great importance. Front-of-pack (FOP) nutrition labelling may contribute to health promotion by increasing consumer awareness on the nutritional qualities of packaged foods and purchasing decisions, and it may stimulate food providers to improve the composition of products. Summary: Appropriate labelling should enable customers to make healthy choices quickly and intuitively. Key Messages: The European Academy of Paediatrics and the European Childhood Obesity Group makes an appeal to European Union legislators to immediately introduce a mandatory, uniform, and interpretative FOP nutrition labelling system.

Download Full-text

Can an On-Shelf Nutrition Labelling System Improve the Nutritional Quality of Food Purchases in Supermarkets?

Canadian Journal of Diabetes ◽

10.1016/j.jcjd.2015.01.128 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 39 ◽

pp. S32 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Erin Hobin ◽

Jocelyn Sacco ◽

Lana Vanderlee ◽

Laura Rosella ◽

Mary L’abbe ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nutritional Quality ◽

Nutrition Labelling ◽

Food Purchases ◽

Quality Of Food ◽

Labelling System

Download Full-text

Evaluation of Alignment between the Health Claims Nutrient Profiling Scoring Criterion (NPSC) and the Health Star Rating (HSR) Nutrient Profiling Models

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu10081065 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (8) ◽

pp. 1065 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Elizabeth Dunford ◽

Liping Huang ◽

Sanne Peters ◽

Michelle Crino ◽

Bruce Neal ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Edible Oils ◽

Food Group ◽

Food Composition ◽

Health Claims ◽

Food Groups ◽

Health Claim ◽

Star Rating ◽

Nutrition Labelling ◽

Nutrient Profiling ◽

Scoring Algorithms

In Australia, manufacturers can use two government-endorsed approaches to advertise product healthiness: the Health Star Rating (HSR) front-of-pack nutrition labelling system, and health claims. Related, but different, algorithms determine the star rating of a product (the HSR algorithm) and eligibility to display claims (the Nutrient Profiling Scoring Criterion (NPSC) algorithm). The objective of this study was to examine the agreement between the HSR and NPSC algorithms. Food composition information for 41,297 packaged products was extracted from The George Institute’s FoodSwitch database. HSR and the NPSC scores were calculated, and the proportion of products in each HSR category that were eligible to display a health claim under the NPSC was examined. The highest agreement between the HSR scoring algorithm and the NPSC threshold to determine eligibility to display a health claim was at the HSR cut-off of 3.5 stars (k = 0.83). Overall, 97.3% (n = 40,167) of products with star ratings of 3.5 or higher were also eligible to display a health claim, and 94.3% (n = 38,939) of products with star ratings less than 3.5 were ineligible to display a health claim. The food group with greatest divergence was “edible oils”, with 45% products (n = 342) with HSR >3.5, but 64% (n = 495) eligible to display a claim. Categories with large absolute numbers of products with HSR <3.5, but eligible to display a claim, were “yoghurts and yoghurt drinks” (335 products, 25.4%) and “soft drinks” (299 products, 29.7%). Categories with a large number of products with HSR ≥3.5, but ineligible to display a claim, were “milk” (260 products, 21.2%) and “nuts and seeds” (173 products, 19.7%). We conclude that there is good agreement between the HSR and the NPSC systems overall, but divergence in some food groups is likely to result in confusion for consumers, particularly where foods with low HSRs are eligible to display a health claim. The alignment of the NPSC and HSR scoring algorithms should be improved.

Download Full-text

The emergence of nutrition warning labels in Latin America

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckaa165.002 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽

Author(s):

T Dorlach

Keyword(s):

Latin America ◽

Latin American ◽

Heart Diseases ◽

Overweight And Obesity ◽

World Health ◽

The European Union ◽

Warning Labels ◽

Traffic Light ◽

Nutrition Labelling ◽

Latin American Countries

Abstract Over the last decade, Latin American countries have become leaders in the emerging policy field of front-of-pack nutrition labelling (FOPNL). Recommended by public health experts and the World Health Organization, FOPNL regulations seek to improve the healthiness of population diets and thereby reduce the incidence of overweight and obesity and associated non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes, cancer, and heart diseases. In 2011, Chile passed the world's first comprehensive nutrition labelling law and now prohibits school sales and daytime advertisement of any product labeled “high in” sugar, salt, saturated fats, or calories. Ecuador introduced a mandatory traffic-light labelling scheme in 2014, while Peru, Uruguay, and Mexico introduced Chile-style warning labels since 2018. Several other Latin American countries, including Argentina and Brazil, are currently debating the introduction of mandatory front-of-pack warning labels. In contrast, most countries in the Global North have so far failed to introduce mandatory FOPNL and the European Union even banned its member states from doing so in 2011. This presentation will trace and explain this emergence of FOPNL in Latin America.

Download Full-text

Australia's Health Star Rating policy process: Lessons for global policy-making in front-of-pack nutrition labelling

Nutrition & Dietetics ◽

10.1111/1747-0080.12393 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 75 (2) ◽

pp. 193-199 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Medha Kumar ◽

Deborah Gleeson ◽

Simon Barraclough

Keyword(s):

Policy Process ◽

Policy Making ◽

Global Policy ◽

Star Rating ◽

Nutrition Labelling

Download Full-text

Analysis of the policy process for the implementation of nutritional warning labels in Uruguay

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980021002469 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-14

Author(s):

Gastón Ares ◽

Lucía Antúnez ◽

Magela Cabrera ◽

Anne Marie Thow

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Policy Process ◽

Policy Design ◽

Case Study Research ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Sources Of Information ◽

Warning Label ◽

Warning Labels ◽

Policy Action ◽

Nutrition Labelling

Abstract Objective: To analyse the process for the development and implementation of mandatory nutritional warning labels in Uruguay, in order to inform future nutrition policy making and strategic engagement by public health actors. Design: The study design drew on policy analysis methodology and case study research methodology. Two main sources of information were selected and analysed for the current study: eighteen official documents from the Uruguayan government and 259 news reports, published between June 2017 and February 2021. Setting: Uruguay, Latin America. Results: The Uruguayan Ministry of Public Health led a cross-sectoral working group composed of diverse governmental stakeholders, international organisations and the academia to develop the front-of-package nutrition labelling policy. A robust evidence-based approach, based on rigorous scientific knowledge generated in the country, was followed. However, changes in the systemic governing coalition as a consequence of a change in government led to a delay in the entry into force and changes in the regulation. The food industry was the main opponent to the warning label regulation and relied on widely reported corporate political activities to influence the policy process: information and messaging, legal action, policy substitution, opposition, fragmentation and destabilisation. Conclusions: Key insights to inform future policy action in Uruguay and other jurisdictions were derived. Results stressed the importance of an evidence-based approach for policy design and the early engagement with actors from all the political system.

Download Full-text

Uptake of Australia’s Health Star Rating System

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu10080997 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (8) ◽

pp. 997 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Alexandra Jones ◽

Maria Shahid ◽

Bruce Neal

Keyword(s):

Food Category ◽

Star Rating ◽

Nutrition Labelling ◽

Food Purchases ◽

Annual Survey ◽

Vegetable Products ◽

Retail Outlets ◽

The Mean ◽

Summary Data ◽

Labelling Scheme

In June 2014, Australia and New Zealand adopted a voluntary front-of-pack nutrition labelling scheme in the form of the Health Star Rating (HSR) system. Our aim was to assess its uptake in Australia while a formal five-year review of the system is underway. Numbers and proportions of products eligible to carry a HSR were recorded each year between 2014 and 2017 as part of an annual survey of four large Australian retail outlets. Mean HSR values were determined for products that were and were not labelled with a HSR logo, and summary data presented overall, by HSR score, by major food category, and for leading manufacturers. Results show that uptake is increasing: HSR appeared on 4348/15,767 (28%) of eligible products in 2017 and has now appeared on 7922 products since implementation. Of those products displaying a HSR logo, more than three-quarters (76.4%) displayed a HSR of ≥3.0. Products displaying a HSR logo had a higher mean HSR (3.4), compared to products not displaying a HSR logo (2.7). Uptake was highest on convenience foods (44%), cereals (36.7%), and fruit and vegetable products (35.9%). More than 100 manufacturers were using the system, but retailers Coles, Woolworths and Aldi were together responsible for 54% of uptake. For all except Coles, Woolworths and Campbell Arnott’s, the mean HSR of products displaying a logo on pack was higher than products made by that manufacturer not showing a HSR logo. We conclude that to ensure the consistent and widespread uptake required for consumers to make informed food purchases, HSR should be made mandatory at the conclusion of the five-year review.

Download Full-text