Food labels
Wednesday, 23 Jan 2008 11:31
Food labels help shoppers see how healthy food is
Having just one system of food labelling to show consumers how healthy food products are has been proposed by the health secretary.
Clear labelling is supported by the government as one way of encouraging healthier lifestyles and reducing the number of obese people in Britain.
Last year a wide-scale report warned that if current lifestyles continue about a quarter of children, 60 per cent of men and 50 per cent of women will be obese by 2050.
At these levels obesity is projected to cost society £45.5 billion a year.
Currently there are a number of food labelling systems, including the 'traffic light' approach and the 'guideline daily amounts' system.
Although health secretary Alan Johnson has expressed his support in favour of a voluntary approach to labelling, has said there "could be regulation down the track" after research into the issue.
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