A prominent consumer advocacy group is calling on the UK Government to mandate front-of-package nutrition labels, highlighting the country’s ongoing battle with obesity. Which? has made this appeal, emphasizing the urgent need for clearer guidance to help individuals make healthier food choices.

The organization contends that adopting a more effective strategy is crucial for facilitating healthier eating habits. This request follows their research findings, which indicate a preference among consumers for traffic light labels. However, they suggest these labels could be improved by making them more visible and larger in size.

Since its introduction in 2013, the traffic light labeling system has used green, amber, and red to denote low, medium, and high levels of fat, saturated fat, sugar, and salt, along with calorie content. While many major food manufacturers and retailers have voluntarily embraced this scheme, it is not yet a legal requirement in the UK.

Which? points out that the current adoption of the system is inconsistent, noting that some retailers either omit traffic light labels or fail to use the color coding effectively.

The organization collected data from more than 500 shoppers using their mobile devices to evaluate the traffic light system’s effectiveness in aiding consumer choices.

The study found that one-third (33%) of participants checked the nutrition label first when examining packaging. The traffic light system was most commonly used for selecting snacks (56%), dairy products (33%), and breakfast cereals (27%). Additionally, nearly half (47%) of the respondents found this labeling method easy to understand.

During focus groups, the traffic light system emerged as the favoured food labelling approach, though participants suggested improvements, including making it larger and more prominent.

Which? said that people also called for making the scheme easier to understand, such as making the recommended serving size on some products more realistic and consistent. The consumer champion is now calling on the Government to introduce a mandatory front-of-pack nutrition labelling scheme.

It suggested this could enhance the existing traffic light system to better serve shoppers by improving consistency, increasing prominence and eliminating potentially confusing elements.

Sue Davies, head of food policy at Which?, said: “The UK is in the midst of an obesity crisis and it’s clear that a better approach to front-of-pack labelling is needed to help shoppers make healthier choices.

“Which? is calling on the Government to ensure that all manufacturers and retailers use front of pack nutrition labelling, ideally by making this mandatory. Our research shows that people still prefer traffic light nutrition labelling, but that the current scheme needs updating so that it is clearer and simpler and works better for consumers.

“The new system should be backed up with effective enforcement and oversight by the Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland, so shoppers have full trust in the labels on their food.” In 2022, some 64% of adults in England were estimated to be overweight or living with obesity.

In November, it also emerged that one in 10 children in the first year of primary school in England is obese, the highest figure on record outside the pandemic. Estimates suggest that obesity costs the NHS more than £11 billion every year.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “This Government is bringing in a modernised food nutrient scoring system to reduce obesity. It’s just one element of the strong action we are taking to tackle the obesity crisis as part of our 10 Year Health Plan, which will shift the focus from sickness to prevention.

“We are also restricting advertising of junk food on TV and online, limiting volume price promotions on less healthy foods and introducing mandatory reporting on sales of healthy food.”

Andrea Martinez-Inchausti, assistant director of food at the British Retail Consortium, said: “Retailers have led the way in nutrition labelling, consistently providing advice on healthy living.

“Whether that be through the traffic light system, or other measures, the industry is fully committed to helping improve the health of their customers and are constantly looking for what will work best for them.”