INSIDE OUR FOOD
AND BEVERAGE MANUFACTURERS 2018
Food and beverage manufacturers have an important role to play in creating healthier food environments and contributing to efforts to improve population diets.
Inside Our Food and Beverage Manufacturers 2018 assessed the largest Australian food and beverage manufacturers on their policies and commitments related to obesity prevention and nutrition.
Overall findings
Australian supermarkets demonstrated some commitment to addressing health and nutrition issues, but much stronger action is needed across the sector
Overall findings
Most of the largest Australian food and beverage manufacturers have some stated commitment to addressing obesity and population nutrition issues, but companies varied substantially in the transparency, comprehensiveness and specificity of their policies and commitments
Overall findings
Australian supermarkets demonstrated some commitment to addressing health and nutrition issues, but much stronger action is needed across the sector
Overall findings
Most of the largest Australian food and beverage manufacturers have some stated commitment to addressing obesity and population nutrition issues, but companies varied substantially in the transparency, comprehensiveness and specificity of their policies and commitments
Areas in which Australian food and beverage manufacturers have shown good progress:
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Corporate Strategy: Acknowledging their responsibility for addressing obesity and population nutrition issues, by incorporating obesity prevention and/or population nutrition into the corporate strategy to some extent (16 out of 19 companies)
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Product formulation: Reporting some action / making commitments to reformulate products to reduce levels of nutrients of concern (16 out of 19 companies)
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Nutrition labelling::Committing to implement the Australian government-endorsed Health Star Rating system (11 out of 19 companies)
Key recommendations for food and beverage manufacturers:
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Corporate Strategy: Prioritise obesity prevention and population nutrition as part of the overall company strategy, and align the company’s obesity prevention and nutrition-related policies with global health and sustainability goals
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Product formulation: Set measurable targets and timelines to reduce sodium, free sugars, saturated fat, and artificially produced trans fat, in conjunction with government-led programs (e.g., Healthy Food Partnership) to improve the healthiness of the food supply
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Nutrition labelling: All companies to commit to implement the Australian government-endorsed Health Star Rating system across all relevant products in their portfolios
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Promotion to children and adolescents: Implement a policy on marketing to children that effectively restricts the exposure of children and adolescents (up to the age of 18) to the promotion of ‘less healthy’ products and brands
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Product accessibility: Commit to work with retailers to increase the prominence of healthier products relative to ‘less healthy’ products in-store (e.g., through shelf space and strategic placement) and in promotional catalogues
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Relationships with external groups: Publish all relationships (including funding and support) with external groups (e.g., professional associations, research organisations, community and industry groups) related to health and nutrition
