The NZ Food and Grocery Council welcomes the launch of the new Health Promotion Agency Awareness Campaign to promote the Health Star Rating System for food products.
This includes a series of short videos to explain how the Health Stars work and remind shoppers that products with a higher star rating are healthier choices within a supermarket category. Some supermarkets will have information in their aisles and others will include it in their flyers. There will also be ad-shell posters.
Food and Grocery Council (FGC) Chief Executive Katherine Rich says the videos combine good information and classic Kiwi humour so FGC hopes lots of people get to see them. “Health Star Ratings are a quick and easy way for shoppers to choose healthier packaged foods.
“Its aim is to point shoppers to healthier packaged foods within categories because shoppers can instantly see how much energy, salt, fat, and sugar is in a product and make a comparative decision based on that.
“Not everyone understands nutrition panels, so this quick and easy solution on the front of packs will make it easier for shoppers to identify more healthy choices, and we’re confident that once they see how easy it is, they will embrace it.
“Many FGC members have committed to using the scheme and we estimate that there are now more than 1000 products with Health Star Ratings on their packaging”.
Health Star Rating roll out supported by Countdown
Countdown is supporting the Health Promotion Agency’s campaign to better inform customers about the Health Star Rating system.
The voluntary labelling system uses star ratings of ½ to 5 stars to measure the overall nutritional content and healthiness of packaged foods. Foods that are lower in saturated fat, sugar or sodium (salt), and/or higher in fibre, protein, fruits, vegetables, nuts or legumes will have more stars.
Managing Director, Dave Chambers, says Countdown’s involvement in the campaign is a great way to help customers make informed choices when they are buying the groceries. “We’re supportive of nutrition information that’s easy to understand and meaningful for our customers, which is why we voluntarily have the Health Star Rating on more than 200 of our own brand products already.
We have committed to roll out the Health Star Rating on hundreds of our own brand products, including Homebrand, Select, and Macro with the ratings implemented on all new private label products, and when existing products go through their scheduled reviews.”
The campaign is being led by the Health Promotion Agency and customers will see advertising in the cereal aisle at Countdown from Monday, 21 March.
