Providing information beyond the Nutrition Facts label is transparent food labelling. Nutrition labels provide important information to help consumers make healthy food choices, but consumers are also pushing for more specific information to be included on package labels and in restaurant. There are several ways in which food transparency can benefit you. On food labels and menu boards, you might find the following claims that can help you make more informed choices about what to eat:
Clean eating – Consumers seek ingredients that are not only recognizable, but also trusted. This is why many companies are eliminating artificial flavours, sweeteners, and colours from their products.
Clear labelling – Many shoppers want to know exactly what’s in their food, but they also want access to that information. Restaurants and food producers are putting important information up front on menu boards or in larger text on food packages because most people don’t have the time to read tiny text on food packages or research ingredients online.
Humane and healthy farming practices– Our customers like to know what kind of practices were used to produce their food. For example, at your local grocery store, look for free-range or pasture-raised eggs from farmers who allow their chickens to roam freely and engage in other natural behaviours outside. Many health-conscious consumers look for No Antibiotics Ever or Raised Without Antibiotics labels on foods such as dairy and chicken.
Sustainable sourcing – Many farmers practice environmentally friendly farming methods. Sustainable agriculture also contributes to better public health and animal welfare.
Minimal processing – Experts advise us to limit our intake of empty calories and processed foods. As a result, consumers are attempting to avoid foods containing ingredients such as refined grains and trans fat in favour of foods made with whole ingredients.
Benefits of Food Transparency and Labelling –
- Food transparency and labelling helps consumers to make well-informed purchasing decisions – The most significant advantage of today’s push is that people who care about what they put into their bodies can be confident that they are purchasing the best fresh and packaged foods and supplements available. Food transparency is also a great place to start when it comes to weight loss and weight management.
- Ensure that your food choices are in line with your doctor’s recommendations – One advantage of food transparency is that it can be used to keep you healthy. People with dietary restrictions or illnesses, such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure, may have had a difficult time ensuring that the foods they bought met their special needs and their doctor’s recommendations in the past.
- Increasing the number of healthier options available to consumers – Some companies have changed the ingredients in their products as a result of the trend toward accountability and food transparency. For example, when labelling required some food brands to specify the amount of unhealthy ingredients found in their products, such as trans fats, they decided to use fewer of those ingredients. This is a significant victory for consumers attempting to make healthier choices.
As the food transparency trend grows, it is likely that our grocery stores and restaurant choices will become healthier and nutritious.