Product variety in Australian snacks and drinks: how can the consumer make a healthy choice?
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the proportion of snack food and beverage choices available to an Australian consumer.


METHODS
A survey of product Nutrition Information Panels (NIP) and product labels on snack foods and beverages offered for sale. Data on nutrient content were compared with criteria from different nutrient profile systems to estimate the proportion of items conforming to a choice.


METHODS
A large supermarket in metropolitan Melbourne, Australia.


RESULTS
A consumer could choose from 1,070 different snack foods and 863 different drinks. Flavour variety was more common in snacks (maximum thirteen per product) while variation in container size was more common for drinks (up to ten per product). Recommended serving size for snacks varied greatly (1822 % of snack foods presented for sale could be deemed by multiple criteria. Similarly, only 14 healthy healthier' snack foods and beverages, e.g. by reformulation of many products by the food industry and their presentation in smaller, standardised portion-size packaging.
Walker
Karen Z
KZ
Nutrition and Dietetics Unit, Department of Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. karen.walker@baker.edu.au
Woods
Julie L
JL
Rickard
Cassie A
CA
Wong
Carrie K
CK
D001315:Australia; D001628:Beverages / Q000592:standards*; D003132:Commerce; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology*; D005504:Food Analysis / Q000592:standards*; D019649:Food Industry / Q000592:standards*; D005515:Food Labeling / Q000592:standards*; D018857:Food Packaging; D005518:Food Preferences; D058870:Food, Organic / Q000592:standards; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007881:Legislation, Food; D009753:Nutritive Value; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control