Healthy nu­tri­tion: a closer look at logos

Food companies have various ways of indicating that certain products are good for one’s health. Logos for this were introduced in the Netherlands several years ago.
The Choices stamp is an initiative by Unilever, Friesland Foods and Campina. More than one hundred companies now participate in this initiative and many of these companies have products that carry the Choices stamp. The Healthy Choice Clover is an initiative by Albert Heijn. Only the Own-Brand products of this supermarket chain are eligible for the Healthy Choice Clover. Each of these logos is awarded according to their own set of criteria.
Another way of informing people about the nutritional value of food products is by listing the levels of nutrients (nutritional information) on the product packaging. Recently a new format has been introduced to present this information front-of-pack, the so-called GDA system. This system was developed by the European umbrella organisation of the food industry.
The use of logos provides opportunities for improving dietary habits and public health. Whether this will actually occur, depends on three aspects. Are the logos assigned according to sound criteria? Do the consumers use this information correctly when choosing products? Do the logos stimulate manufacturers to improve their range of products? In this advisory report, the two existing Dutch logos will be compared on these points based on the current state of scientific knowledge.
This advisory report also contains an evaluation of the GDA system. This system differs fundamentally from the logos, because nutritional information may be listed on every product and still requires interpretation by the consumers, whilst the logos create the direct message that the product can contribute to a healthy eating pattern, because they are only featured on products that meet the criteria for that logo.

Committee

• Prof. D. Kromhout, Vice President of the Health Council of the Netherlands, chairman
• Dr. M.A.E. van Bokhorst-de van der Schueren, Head of Nutrition and Dietetics Department, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam
• W. Bosman, Former secretary of the Standing Committee on Nutrition, Health Council of the Netherlands, The Hague
• J.W. van den Brink, Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, The Hague, adviser
• Dr. M. Dekker, Associate Professor of Product Design and Quality Management, Wageningen University and Research Centre
• Prof. A.W. Hoes, Professor of Clinical Epidemiology and General Practice, University Medical Centre, Utrecht
• Dr. J.A. Iestra, Member of staff, Department of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, University Medical Centre, Utrecht
• Prof. F.J. Kok , Professor of Nutrition and Health, Wageningen University and Research Centre
• Prof. H.P. Sauerwein, Professor of Energy Metabolism, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam
• Prof. N.K. de Vries, Professor of Health Promotion, University of Maastricht
• Prof. C.M.J. van Woerkum, Professor of Communication Strategies, Wageningen University and Research Centre
• Prof. M.H. Zwietering, Professor of Food Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research Centre
• Dr. C.J.K. Spaaij, Health Council of the Netherlands, The Hague, scientific secretary
• Dr. R. Weggemans, Health Council of the Netherlands, The Hague, scientific secretary