Consumer group Which? has called on the government to introduce mandatory traffic light packaging on the front of products, after claiming the current system is patchwork and confusing.
This year will mark 20 years since the Food Standards Agency first recommended a traffic light system in the UK. Although a standardised system was finally introduced in 2013, Which? said the current take-up was still patchwork among retailers and companies.
It cited Iceland, which does not use the traffic light labelling scheme that the government recommends on its own-brand products. Meanwhile, a number of popular frozen pizza brands including Crosta Mollica, Pizza Express and Italpizza la Numero Uno do not have any front-of-pack nutrition labelling.
Other brands, such as Dr Oetker and Chicago Town, had black and white labelling without any of the traffic light colours.
Which? said the inconsistent approach made it difficult for shoppers to easily compare items and see which were high in fat, sugar or salt, for example.
It also carried out research on how shoppers use the current system, with a third of participants reporting the nutrition label was the first thing they looked at on the front of pack when choosing a product in the supermarket.
This came third to considering the brand (40%) or the price (37%).
It found people most often used traffic lights when deciding between snacks (56%), dairy products (33%) and breakfast cereals (27%).
“The UK is in the midst of an obesity crisis and it’s clear that a better approach to front-of-pack labelling is needed to help shoppers make healthier choices,” said Sue Davies, head of food policy at Which?.
“Which? is calling on the government to ensure that all manufacturers and retailers use front-of-pack nutrition labelling – ideally by making this mandatory. Our research shows that people still prefer traffic light nutrition labelling, but that the current scheme needs updating so that it is clearer and simpler and works better for consumers.
“The new system should be backed up with effective enforcement and oversight by the Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland – so shoppers have full trust in the labels on their food.”
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