Foodstuffs’ Pledge to Promote Healthier Eating
Product Reformulation
Foodstuffs is committed to steadily improving the nutritional
profile of its private label foods so that our customers can eat
more healthily.
We will take a leadership role in encouraging suppliers of
proprietary brands to continue their product reformulation efforts
and/or introduce healthier options, so that the nutritional profile
of supermarket foods improves overall.
Specifically, we will:
• Reformulate private label products
so that by the end of 2018 we will have:
o Reduced the sugar content in
existing products by 10% in total.
o Reduced the sodium content in existing products by 10% in
total.
o Reduced saturated fat content across the private label
range.
o Made nutrition a consideration when developing new
products.
o Promote product reformulation with our supplier community by
championing this cause whenever we formally engage with
suppliers.
o Establish a new Supplier Award to recognise supplier commitment
and achievement in supporting our objective to make more nutritious
food available to our customers.
Health Star Ratings
Nutritional labelling plays an important role in enabling
customers to quickly assess the relative healthiness of a food
product and make healthier choices. Foodstuffs was among the first
companies to sign up to Health Star Ratings (HSR) labelling when
the scheme launched in 2014. To date we have put health stars on
the labels of more than 600 foods.
The adoption of HSR across the wider food sector has been slower
than anticipated. Foodstuffs will take up the cause to champion the
wider adoption of HSR.
Specifically, we will:
• Lead by example by committing to
complete the roll-out of HSR on all private label foods by the end
of 2018 - 12 months earlier than originally scheduled.
• Promote the wider adoption of HSR among our supplier community by
championing this cause whenever we formally engage with
suppliers.
Education
In 2007 Foodstuffs established the Food for Thought Trust, a
charitable trust. In partnership with the Heart Foundation, the
Trust provides free nutrition education to primary school aged
children. Based on Ministry of Health nutritional guidelines,
developed in conjunction with teachers to meet the requirements of
the NZ Education Curriculum, and delivered by qualified
nutritionists, the Food for Thought enquiry-based learning
Programme has now reached more than 110,000 children.
Foodstuffs has made a long-term commitment to the Trust and as
part of our pledge to promote healthier eating we will work with
the Trust and the Heart Foundation to make Food for Thought
available to every primary school. Lower decile schools will get
first priority.
Marketing Activities
Foodstuffs is committed to the responsible promotion of food and
commits to complying with all the relevant ASA Codes, including an
updated Code for Advertising to Children.
Foodstuffs is currently exploring further ways to promote the
cause of healthier eating and will announce new initiatives in the
future.
