Industry Proactive in Australian Obesity Prevention

The Australian Food and Grocery Council rejects the Obesity Policy Coalition’s call today (12 August) for more taxes, bans & regulation on Australia’s food supply.

The food and grocery industry takes the issue of obesity in Australia seriously and has implemented a range of initiatives to help stem the increase in the numbers of overweight or obese Australians, the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) said today.

AFGC Chief Executive Kate Carnell said the Australian food and beverage industry is keen to play its part and adopted a Nutrition and Health Strategy with a range of initiatives aimed at helping Australians maintain a balanced and healthy diet.

“In 2006, the Australian food and beverage industry adopted Daily Intake Guide Labelling on front-of-pack to make it easier for people to see how much energy and nutrients a serve of food provides,” Ms Carnell said.

“Today there are over 2000 products in the marketplace carrying Daily Intake Guide Labelling, including the home brands of Coles, Woolworths and Metcash.  This is a voluntary, proactive scheme adopted by industry and is supported by the dedicated www.mydailyintake.net website consumers can access to learn more.”

Daily Intake Guide labelling has recently been adopted by the European Union as the preferred approach to front-of-pack labelling, as they rejected traffic light labelling.

AFGC said industry acknowledges community concern about advertising high fat, sugar and salt products during children’s TV and voluntarily implemented the Responsible Advertising to Children Initiative on 1 January 2009.

Under this initiative responsible marketing practices are outlined via clear expectations on form, spirit and context, and a transparent process for monitoring and review of practices was established.  The aim is to provide a framework for food and beverage companies to help promote healthy dietary choices and lifestyles to Australian children.

AFGC said industry’s proactive efforts to inform consumers through the Daily Intake Guide labels and socially responsible initiative to restrict advertising to children demonstrate the Australian food and grocery industry’s serious commitment to address the problem of obesity.

AFGC rejects additional taxes on consumers as a means to reduce obesity and asserts there is a lack of evidence supporting taxes impacting food consumption.

“Taxes on food are just taxes,” Ms Carnell noted, “There is no evidence that they have any impact on consumption or obesity.  The GST proved that.  The GST is a 10% tax on processed food – there is no tax on fresh food.  Since the GST was implemented obesity levels have continued to increase.”

For more information about the various industry initiatives targeted at reducing obesity, visit www.afgc.org.au.

- ENDS - 

More information: Contact Kate Carnell AO, AFGC CEO, on 0415 662 266.