Changes aim to simplify nutrition literacy for Canadians
During Health Canada’s nutrition labelling consultations in 2015 and 2016, many Canadians expressed the interest in having one government-led front-of-packaging (FOP) system for products to help make healthy choices easier, according to the Government of Canada in an issued statement.
The FOP system will not replace the nutrition table located on the back of products, rather, it will serve as a supplement by providing simplified nutritional information for those who are limited by time, motivation, or have relatively low health literacy.
Health Canada has said that they will consult the public and shareholders over the coming weeks to seek feedback and input. Health Canada’s hope is to provide Canadians with an easier approach to make healthier and more informed choices on sugars, sodium, and saturated fat.
There are two main types of FOP labelling currently being used internationally. The first is a nutrient specific FOP label that displays key nutrient information such as sugars, sodium, and saturated fats. Colour-coordinated labels (red, yellow, and green) will show if an item is particularly high or low in a specific nutrient. Countries such as Chile recently introduced this specific approach to FOP, providing visible warnings of a food item that is high in either sugar, sodium, or saturated fat.
The second FOP label ranks, or scores, food items based on how healthy they are by combining their nutritional information and dietary guidance, for example, the guiding stars one would see in Loblaws, or the smile approach in Metro. International instances of this type of FOP labelling can be seen around the world. The Nordic keyhole symbol used in Scandinavian countries, the health star ratings in New Zealand, and the Choices International logo in Europe are examples of forms of FOP symbols currently being used to indicate healthy choices.
With busy schedules and a vast variety of food items, FOP labelling provides a one-stop quick access to healthy choices. Consumer research shows that FOP nutrition labelling could help identify healthier choices more efficiently than other nutritional food labelling, particularly when the information is visible and on a consistent location on a package.
Photo by Mariah Bridgeman.