Food Standards Agency
Saturday 4 July 2009
Safer food better business banner
AZ-Directory
What's NewRSS
What is RSS?Listen
Listen to this siteWednesday 18 May 2005
Food signposts
Details of the next phase of the Agency's work on 'signposting' labelling to help people make healthier choices are published today.
The research follows on from an update letter issued in March this year, which asked for comments on the suggested approach to the research.
An outline of the research method and the signposting concepts to be included in the research are attached below. These include simple and multiple traffic light schemes, and two schemes based on Guideline Daily Amounts.
The research will find out which type of signposting works best in helping consumers assess the nutrient content of the food quickly and easily, and which of the concepts people prefer and why. After an initial pilot study, a representative sample of around 2,600 people from around the UK will be interviewed.
The results of this work will help inform the development of guidance for manufacturers and retailers on a single signposting scheme, on which we will consult later in the year.
FSA Director of Consumer Choice and Dietary Health Gill Fine said: 'Consumers want the healthy choice to be the easy choice, one that makes sense for them and their families.
'Many sectors of the food industry have introduced their own signposting schemes.
'Although we welcome action to help make healthier eating easier, we are concerned that different schemes may cause confusion.
'We want to know what works best for consumers and that's what this research is all about. The results will be used to develop a single, easy-to-understand scheme that could be the same wherever you shop.'
Back to topDownload pdf
(pdf 15KB) Signposting label options (annex B) pdf file 200kbDownload pdf
(pdf 196KB) (External) Get Adobe Acrobat reader You may need the free Acrobat Reader to view a pdfFind out what our other sites have to offer