Adoption of voluntary front of package nutrition schemes in UK food innovations

Abstract

Purpose -This paper aims to determine the response of manufacturers and retailers to voluntary UK front of package (FOP) schemes through food product innovations. Design/methodology/approach -A food innovation database (Global New Products Database) was used to track all food products released in the UK from January 1, 2002 to December 31, 2008. Meal, bakery and breakfast cereal products were classified into two groups, according to whether the food category was targeted by the Food Standard Agency (FSA) for FOP labelling. Analysis includes descriptive statistics and cross-tabulations of factors such as product category, type of FOP scheme, company, and year. Findings -Private label brands dominate food innovations in the UK. The use of FOP labels is selective among companies and across food categories. Guideline daily allowance (GDA) labelling is more widely adopted than the traffic light labelling system (TLS). Both systems have been more broadly adopted in target food categories when compared to non-target food categories.Research limitations/implications -The database used to conduct this research provides detailed data on food product innovations released in the UK. However, this is not linked to sales data and therefore cannot be used to analyse changes in consumption due to FOP labelling systems. Nevertheless, the response of food manufacturers and retailers in their innovation strategies is a critical piece to understanding how voluntary labelling polices may impact public health. Originality/value -The paper presents evidence of dynamics of supply-side responses to increasing consumer demand for healthier foods.

Nutritional quality and reformulation of a selection of children's packaged foods available in Australian supermarkets: Has the Health Star Rating had an impact?

“…The voluntary uptake of the HSR also appears to be category‐specific, with cereal‐based products having the greatest uptake of the HSR of all six product categories. These results concur with existing literature, wherein the majority of cereal‐based products have adopted a voluntary FOP labelling scheme before other categories . This trend is most likely attributed to the high consumption of these products, particularly breakfast cereals, among children, with at least 50% of Australian children under nine years of age reportedly consuming cereal‐based foods .…”

“…These results concur with existing literature, wherein the majority of cereal-based products have adopted a voluntary FOP labelling scheme before other categories. 49,53,54 This trend is most likely attributed to the high consumption of these products, particularly breakfast cereals, among children, with at least 50% of Australian children under nine years of age reportedly consuming cereal-based foods. 55 Additionally, it may be related to the inherent property of cereal-based products, wherein they are naturally low in fat and high in fibre.…”

Stop or go? How is the UK food industry responding to front-of-pack nutrition labels?

“…This behaviour may also create an incentive for food processors to innovate or reformulate their products to qualify for an amber or green nutrient rating, adding value to products. However, despite the FSA's push for the use of the TL format, the Guideline Daily Allowance (GDA) labelling scheme has been more widely adopted than the TL format among both targeted and non-targeted foods (Van Camp et al 2010). Major UK retailers have more readily adopted TL labels than manufacturers, who have preferred to use the non-colour coded GDA format.…”

“…Major UK retailers have more readily adopted TL labels than manufacturers, who have preferred to use the non-colour coded GDA format. However, these FOP labelling schemes are not necessarily carried on all food products produced by a given company (Van Camp et al 2010;FSA 2010).…”

Introduction of New Food Products with Voluntary Health- and Nutrition-Related Claims, 1989-2010

“…Sales of products with fat-, sodium-, and calorie-related claims accounted for $73 billion in 2009 (Nielsenwire, 2010) or 12 percent of food sales for at-home consumption. 1 Past studies of HNR claims have mostly focused on impacts on product evaluations and purchase decisions of consumers, as opposed to understanding the adoption of HNR claims by companies (Roe, Levy, and Derby, 1999;Van Camp et al, 2010). Studies of companies' adoption of HNR claims over periods of changing claims regulation, new health and nutrition information, and changing consumer preferences complement studies of claim effects on consumers' product evaluations and purchase intentions.…”