Food labeling

Today, there are the following, most common product labeling systems:

1. Marking "traffic light" (born traffic light rating system ). According to her, the content of the substances included in the product is highlighted in color, depending on the level of danger to the human body. The label indicates the amount of fat, saturated fat, salt and sugar contained in the product, which, depending on the percentage of presence in the product, is indicated by red (high level), orange (medium level) and green (low level).
2. GDA Labeling (Per. Guideline daily amount - daily consumption guide). It displays the recommended daily amounts of consumption of nutrients essential from a health point of view (for example, energy, sugars, fats, saturated fatty acids, etc.) and shows how much consumption of this product gives from the recommended amount ^[2] .
3. Labeling of food products according to TR TS 022/2011, adopted in the territory of the Russian Federation, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Belarus.

In September 2015, WHO recommendations were published with the aim of creating the conditions for improving a healthy diet ^[3] , including:

• Use regulatory and voluntary tools such as marketing, food labeling policies, economic incentives or restrictive measures (e.g. taxation, subsidies) to promote healthy eating.
• Maintain information at points of sale, including through labeling that provides accurate, standardized and understandable information on the nutrient content of foods, in accordance with the guidelines of the Codex Alimentarius Commission.

UK

In the UK, the same product labeling rules apply as in the EU.

The World Cancer Research Foundation Great Britain (WCRF UK) is convinced that one of the key methods to fight cancer is to provide clarity and easy perception of food labels, which helps to inform consumers and make the right decision when choosing products. Scientists believe that 37% of the most common cancers in the UK could have been prevented by following a proper diet and physical activity. An unhealthy diet leads to obesity, a major risk factor for developing various types of cancerous tumors. Five leading supermarkets in the UK have been successfully using the “traffic light” label on their own brand products for several years. A study of customer behavior showed that this labeling motivates a change in the basket of consumers to more useful products; helps buyers understand% of GDA markings; stimulates supermarkets to create a more healthy range of products ^[4] .

In April 2016, British doctors proposed the use of special graphic images for product labeling, as they consider the existing system of informing the buyer about the calorie content of products and their fat, sugar and salt content to be ineffective in combating obesity.

Shirley Cramer, director of the British Royal Society of Public Health, an influential nongovernmental organization in the United Kingdom, called for changes to the traffic light label. She believes that it will be much more effective to indicate on the product packages the time it takes to spend the calories contained in the product, and to accompany such numbers with graphic images of different types of physical activity. So, for example, a standard can (330 ml) of sweet soda contains 138 kilocalories, and to consume this energy, you need to walk for 26 minutes or go for 13 minutes ^[5] .

UK Traffic Light Introduction Example

In 2014, Coca-Cola Great Britain decided to mark the traffic light on all of its products. Since 2007, the company has already placed labels on the front of cans and bottles with recommended amounts of food and energy consumption, in accordance with the obligations of The Coca-Cola Company to provide consumers around the world with transparent information about the nutritional value of their products. John Woods, CEO of Coca-Cola in the UK and Ireland, said: “To date, the range of products in stores has expanded - this is great news for customers, and we believe that labeling can help them choose products in favor of a balanced diet. We followed the new labeling scheme as soon as it began to appear in stores and interviewed British buyers. They said they want to see a single, consistent labeling scheme for all foods and drinks that will help them make the right choices for themselves and their families. That's why we decided to accept it for the entire range of our brands. ” This initiative was supported by the UK Department of Health. “I am pleased that Coca-Cola in the UK has accepted the government’s offer to voluntarily label the front of the package. This will help customers make informed choices and lead a healthier lifestyle. We want all businesses to provide clear and consistent information about their products and beverages, ”said British Under Secretary of Health Jane Ellison ^[6] .

European Union

European Union directives establish mandatory requirements and labeling standards for food, household appliances, shoes, textiles, household chemicals, hazardous substances, cosmetics and other product groups.

On October 25, 2011, Regulation 1169 was adopted in Strasbourg. It introduces new requirements for marking product information. In addition to indicating the energy and nutritional value in abbreviated and expanded form, the manufacturer is also required to indicate allergens (for example, gluten ); declaration of nutritional value of the product - in abbreviated and expanded form, an indication of vitamins and minerals; compilation of voluntary nutritional labeling on the front of the labeling (traffic light marking, application of the best labeling practices of European manufacturers) ^[7] . Starting December 13, 2014, these regulations came into force.

According to TR TS 022/2011, Labeling of packaged food products must contain the following information:

1. name of food products;
2. composition of food products;
3. the amount of food products;
4. date of manufacture of food products;
5. expiration date of food products;
6. storage conditions for food products, which are established by the manufacturer or provided for by the technical regulations of the Customs Union for certain types of food products. For food products, the quality and safety of which changes after opening the package, which protected the product from spoilage, also indicate storage conditions after opening the package;
7. the name and location of the manufacturer, or name and location of the individual entrepreneur - the manufacturer of food products, or the name and location of the person authorized by the manufacturer, or the name and location of the importing organization or name and location of the individual entrepreneur-importer;
8. recommendations and (or) restrictions on use;
9. indicators of nutritional value of food products;
10. information on the presence in food products of components obtained using GMOs;
11. a single sign of product circulation on the market of the Member States of the Customs Union;

The labeling may also indicate additional information, including information about the document in accordance with which food products were produced and can be identified, the coined name of food products, trademark, information about the owner of the exclusive right to a trademark, the name of the place of origin of food products , name and location of the licensor, signs of voluntary certification systems.

Non-alcoholic drinks containing caffeine in an amount exceeding 150 mg / l and (or) medicinal plants and their extracts in an amount sufficient to provide a tonic effect on the human body should be marked with the inscription: “It is not recommended for children under the age of 18 years, during pregnancy and lactation, as well as people suffering from increased nervous irritability, insomnia, arterial hypertension "

Prerequisites for introducing a traffic light labeling system in Russia

A nationwide survey of Russians conducted by the ANO “National Research Center“ Healthy Nutrition ”” showed that more than 70% read the label on the products and want to consume safe and high-quality products. The study, which was attended by 1,500 people across the country, revealed that Russians are interested in mandatory product labeling and are positive about making information about the composition and properties of the product more visible and understandable. The most attention of consumers is attracted by the expiration date - almost 90% watches it. The second place is shared by the date of manufacture and composition of the product (63%). More than a third of consumers pay attention to weight, volume and weight, a little less than a third - to the country of manufacture, brand and compliance with GOST. More than 10% of respondents pay attention to the energy and nutritional value of the product, and only 6% are interested in the content of micro and macro elements. According to the study, women are interested in labeling more often than men: 79 and 58%, respectively. Thus, almost half of Russian men are not at all interested in data on food. The most important thing for men is the shelf life of the product. Of those who read the label, almost everyone (87%) pays attention to it. But the nutritional value and the content of useful elements in products is not important for men, only 6% look at these data. Among women, 13% study nutritional value. The survey revealed that 27% of respondents who answered negatively to the question about reading labels complain about a small, unreadable font ^[8] .

During a nationwide survey, respondents were offered to consider packaging with a new labeling according to the Traffic Light system, proposed by the Healthy Nutrition Center for implementation in Russia. 64% of respondents considered the labeling convenient, and more than 50% want the state to oblige manufacturers to put it on the packaging, more than 70% found the labeling noticeable. About 50% of the survey participants believe that such labeling will help to lead a healthy lifestyle (control the amount of consumed fats, calories, salt) ^[9] .

For the introduction of the marking system "traffic light" stands MD, professor at Moscow State University. M.V. Lomonosova, Founder and Head of the Board of ANO SIC “Healthy Nutrition” Oleg Medvedev. “The marking“ Traffic Light ”will allow you to familiarize the buyer with the nutritional composition, indicate the percentage of the daily intake and allow you to assess the usefulness of the product at a glance due to the color scale. The color graphic marking “Traffic Light” contains those elements whose increased consumption can cause significant harm to health. It will be faster and easier to see that the product contains an increased percentage of trans fats or a lot of sugar. The red color will also attract the attention of those who are usually not inclined to carefully read information about the composition, ”he comments ^[10] .

United States

May 27, 2016 ^[11] The US Government Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published the final food labeling rules in the Federal Register. All manufacturers will have to switch to the new marking by July 26, 2018. Manufacturers with a sales rate of less than $ 10 million per year have the opportunity to switch to a new package until July 26, 2019. Additionally, new labeling requirements have been introduced:

1. Increase the size of the “Calories”, “Servings per container”, “Recommended servings” (Serving size) icons and enter a bold font to indicate the number of calories and recommended servings in order to clearly indicate this information.
2. In addition to the percentage of the daily allowance, the manufacturer must indicate the actual amount of vitamin D, calcium, iron and potassium contained in the product. Indicate the amount of vitamins A and B is no longer required. The remaining vitamins and minerals are indicated voluntarily.
3. To explain the term “The% Daily Value”, change the footnote - “The percentage of the daily norm shows how many nutrients from a portion enter the human daily diet. The general nutritional recommendation is 2000 calories per day. ”
4. Indicate how much added sugar from the daily value (in grams and percent) is present in the product.
5. Indicate the amount of “total fat” (Total Fat), “saturated fat” (Saturated Fat) and “trans fat” (Trans Fat) contained in the product. The wording “Calories from Fat” should be removed, as studies have shown that the type of fat coming from a product is more important than its amount.
6. If one package contains from one to two servings, it is necessary to indicate the actual amount of calories and nutrients contained in the product, since the package can be perceived as a serving.
7. For some products, the packaging of which includes several servings, the manufacturer must indicate information in two types - calories and nutrients per serving and in the package as a whole.

In the United States in the summer of 2014 ^[12], a study was published on the effectiveness of existing food labeling, in which respondents shared their opinions and results regarding the new labeling and eating habits. The study was led by the US Department of Agriculture, which collected data from 2005 to 2010. The study involved 10 thousand people.

Over 5 years, a significant improvement in the diet of the average American was noted:

• daily calories decreased by 78 calories;
• fat intake fell by 3.3%;
• in particular, saturated fat intake decreased by 5.9%;
• fiber consumption increased by 7.5%;
• the amount of cholesterol consumed decreased by 7.9%.

According to the study, in 2010, 21% of fast-food cafe visitors and 17% of restaurant visitors paid attention to food labeling. Of these, 42% of visitors to fast food cafes and 55% of restaurant visitors used this information when placing an order.

Along with the new labeling, educational social projects aimed at improving the nation were launched in the United States. Thanks to the labeling, Americans began to eat less outside the home, as the average quality of food consumed at home improved by 20%. In addition, more than 3% of the population believed that they could now change their weight for the better ^[13] .

Finland

In the early 1970s, Finland began to take measures to reduce salt intake, which, in particular, included large public awareness campaigns. In 1993, a government decree was passed on the mandatory labeling of salt content on food. At the same time, warning signs should also be placed on the packaging of products containing particularly high salt levels (for example, according to the red traffic light principle). This was accompanied by the introduction of the “Best Choice” sign - with the support of the Finnish Heart Association, which identified types of foods with low salt content ^[14] .

Results:

• Daily intake of salt among women in Finland decreased from about 12 g per day in the late 1970s to only 6.5 g per day by 2002.
• Finland has established reliable salt monitoring systems using the gold standard for this purpose.