UK has unveiled a new front-of-pack nutrition labelling system, which will make it easier for consumers to make healthier choices about the food they eat.
The new labelling system is colour-coded red, amber and green, and is designed to help consumers see 'at a glance' what is in their food.
The color red means the food or drink is high in a particular nutrient and should be cut down, eaten less often or in small amounts. Amber means medium, and if a food contains mostly amber, it can be consumed most of the time. Green means low, and the more green lights a label displays the healthier the food choice.
The label also highlights 'percentage reference intakes' (formerly known as guideline daily amounts) to show how much fat, saturated fat, salt and sugars, and energy is in a food product.
The new labels have been introduced after detailed discussions with the food industry, health organisations and other partners to agree the proposed system and what the label would look like.
This system will be recommended best practice across the whole of the UK.
Over the next 18 months the new labels will be introduced out across many of the major food groups.
They include retailers such as Sainsbury's, Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, the Co-operative and Waitrose, which will display the labels on their own brand foods, as well as manufacturers MARS UK, Nestle UK, PepsiCo UK, and Premier Foods.
Public Health Minister Anna Soubry said research shows that people can use the labelling information to make healthier choices.
"We all have a responsibility to tackle the challenge of obesity, including the food industry."
"By having all major retailers and manufacturers signed up to the consistent label, we will all be able to see at a glance what is in our food - this is why I want to see more manufacturers signing up and using the label," Soubry added.
