Food & Drink

Food Labelling Issues

Food & Drink

Posted by: looklively

24th Feb 2016 02:21pm

There have been a few stories in the news recently questioning the way food brands are using the health star ratings found on their products. It would seem that some companies are being quite creative when it comes to their labelling. Are you aware of the government’s health star ratings scheme for food? If so, do you think it’s a good idea and should it be mandatory? Do you make purchase decisions based on how high or low a product’s health star rating is? Would you like to see ratings on more products and do you trust food companies to label their products correctly?

Kisagi
  • 2nd Mar 2016 11:53am

I am aware of the health star rating and I think in priniciple it is a good idea. However, I would like to know more about how exactly the stars are awarded, i.e. what the criteria are. While I am not a total "health freak" and I certainly don't follow any diets, I have some pretty strong ideas about what I want to eat, and I'm not sure my standards match those of the health star rating agency.

Furthermore, I find the nutrition panel more informative. But I also realise that not everybody would take the time to read the labels, especially when they are in such small print! So for a lot of people the star rating would be helpful. It would not consciously influence my purchase decision, but who knows, unconsciously I could possibly still be paying attention...

I'm not sure if it is a good idea to make the star rating compulsory. It might lead to some product manufacturers trying to bend the rules. I certainly would not trust food companies to label their own products. It might result in ludicrous claims like "fat-free" jelly or "low-sugar" chips.


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