Research shows that consumers find current food labelling – including nutrition information panels (NIPs), front-of-pack claims and endorsements – confusing.

In Australia and New Zealand, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) and the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council (MinCo) has released Labelling Logic: Review of Food Labelling Law and Policy.

The review recommended the adoption of an interpretive Multiple Traffic Light (MTL) system on food packaging, to help consumers make better food choices. The review makes the further recommendation that the system be "reflective of a comprehensive Nutrition Policy and agreed public health priorities."

The release of the Review of Food Labelling Law and Policy has generated significant debate and it is now in the hands of MinCo for consideration.

In order to contribute to the current stakeholder discussion on Front of Pack Labelling (FoPL), Sanitarium Health & Wellbeing has developed this report. It presents an enhanced traffic light concept, developed by Sanitarium, that supports the recommendation that an Australian labelling system should reflect a comprehensive nutrition policy and agreed public health priorities by:

• Including guidance on food use post-purchase and within the context of the whole diet; and
• Being consistent with current Australia/New Zealand health claim proposals and other public health policy initiatives.

This report also presents new research on consumer understanding and preferences for:

• The two systems currently being considered in Australia - the industry favoured Daily Intake Guide (DIG) and Europe's four nutrient Multiple Traffic Light (MTL) system; and
• The new FoPL concept developed by Sanitarium.

Download Front-of-Pack Labelling: Which Traffic Lights? (PDF, 782KB)