Separate labels for unhealthy nutrients on food packs work best, shows study

Separate warning labels indicating high amounts of undesirable nutrients like saturated fat, sugars and sodium in packaged foods have been shown to be the most effective in reducing the selection of such foods by consumers, according to a study published in the latest issue of Lancet Public Health.

The study found that front of pack labelling using separate labels for indicating high level saturated fat, sugars and sodium called “multi high-in labels scheme” outperformed all other formats in reducing the selection of such packaged foods. The study recommended that this format be considered for implementation to help consumers quickly identify and make healthier choices.

Packaged foods are the leading source of added sugars, sodium, and saturated fat in US diets and overconsumption of these increases the risk for chronic diseases, stated the study, adding that front-of-package labels (FOPLs) held promise “for reducing consumption of these nutrients, improving consumer understanding and dietary choices, with the potential benefit of preventing chronic diseases”.

The study conducted in the US was an online randomized controlled trial of more than 15,500 participants exposed to different formats of FOPL including a no-label control group. The other formats which the various groups of participants were exposed to included, Nutrition-Info-Red scheme with low, medium and high descriptors with high highlighted in red, a black and white single label listing any nutrients present in high amount, the multi-high-in label scheme, and the one being proposed in the US, which is a nutrition info box scheme that lists nutrients of concern alongside low, medium or high descriptors and percent daily value.

The study found that all FOPL schemes substantially improved consumer understanding of products’ nutrient content and reduced selection of product high in nutrients of concern. However, it found that qualitative warning labels outperformed quantitative labels in improving consumer understanding and purchasing intentions and behaviours.

“Among the label formats tested, Multi-High-In did well across a range of outcomes, which might reflect that for this design, the number of labels provides a quick and intuitive sense of product healthfulness. A previous study found that a multilabel High-In design outperformed single-label High-In designs in helping consumers identify products high in sodium and saturated fat. The Multi-High-In label also yielded the highest recall of label contents, highest reported use, and lowest likelihood of selecting a product high in nutrients of concern in both shopping tasks,” stated the study. It added that Multi-High-In was least likely to increase perceived healthfulness of unhealthy products relative to the Nutrition-Info schemes.

Food industry representatives in India have been opposed to the warning label format and have been pushing for star rating system where packaged foods are given stars depending on their ingredients. However, consumer groups have opposed the star rating system saying that giving any stars would create false health haloes for unhealthy products and mislead consumers.


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