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Consumers eat up new food labelling

Research released today by the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) has revealed that the number of Australian consumers that are using the new Daily Intake Guide to decide whether or not to purchase a food or beverage product has increased significantly.

The research has found that almost three-quarters of Australians consumers surveyed are now aware of the new labelling, with more than one in three saying that they have used the Daily Intake Guide to help decide whether a product was suitable for their needs — an 11% usage increase in just six months.

AFGC chief executive officer, Kate Carnell, said that the results show that people are taking notice of preventative health messages and are looking for better information on labels to help them make good decisions in relation to their diet.

“Given the high incidence of diet and lifestyle related illnesses such as CVD, diabetes and obesity it’s critical that people know what’s in their food and think about how it fits into their regular diet and lifestyle.

“Information about the energy and nutrient content of a product is included in the Nutrition Information Panel, but many people find it difficult to read and don’t know how to relate it to their diet.

“The Daily Intake Guide brings the information about what’s in a single portion of a product to the front, where it’s easier to read, and helps by placing this in the context of an individual’s overall diet,” said Carnell.

While nutritional information can be confusing, the AFGC believes that providing a consistent and science-based approach to food labelling will allow Australians to understand more about what they eat.

“The key with food labelling is to ensure Australians are given enough information to empower them to make informed decisions about the food they eat, without overcomplicating or oversimplifying the message.

“One of the keys to good health is understanding the ‘energy in/energy out’ concept as excess energy intake is stored by the body as fat. To maintain a healthy weight, an individual must balance the energy they consume with the energy they use from day to day.

“Also, we do know that the amount of saturated fat and salt in people’s diets must be controlled to avoid cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases and the Daily Intake Guide can help consumers achieve this outcome,” said Carnell.

“The Daily Intake Guide provides consumers with easy-to-understand information about the composition of a product and its relevance to their diet, in series of thumbnails on the front of the pack. Our research shows that people want this type of information and find it easy to understand.”

Developed in consultation with a number of independent healthcare professionals, the Daily Intake Guide is in featured on more than 500 food and beverage products Australia-wide. The Daily Intake Guide is based on the average energy needs of a moderately active man and woman of healthy weight, average height and age for the Australian population.

For further information contact:

AFGC

info@afgc.org.au

www.mydailyintake.net

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