news
Food Standards Agency launches new campaign to encourage NI people to ‘Check the Label’ on food items
Northern Ireland specific
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) in Northern Ireland (NI) has launched an integrated marketing campaign across NI to encourage people to ‘Check the Label.’ The campaign is designed to educate and motivate consumers to make healthier informed choices when food shopping by looking at nutritional labels on pre-packed foods.
In partnership with the Public Health Agency (PHA), the new campaign (entitled ‘Check the Label') features imagery of foods commonly consumed in NI¹ such as muffins, biscuits and chocolate, coupled with statements about how many calories are in a portion of each food.
Maria Jennings, Director, FSA in NI, said: “According to the latest Health Survey for Northern Ireland, 62% of adults in NI are either overweight or obese. The ‘Check the Label’ campaign aims to motivate people to think about the food they eat and how that food can impact their overall health. As part of this campaign, we are encouraging people to check food labels to help them make healthier and informed choices when purchasing food and drink products.
“The ‘Check the Label’ campaign uses images of real foods to show people just how many calories are in the foods they buy. It also features the message that just 100 calories extra a day could mean 10 pounds of weight gain a year. We are delighted to be partnering with the Public Health Agency for this campaign and we are confident it will give people the information they need to think about the foods they consume and empower them to make healthier choices.”
Caroline Bloomfield, Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement Senior Manager, PHA, said: “Snacks, nibbles and second helpings are things we tuck into without even thinking, and often we don’t realise what we are eating. By reading the label, being mindful of what we eat, cooking healthier, and cutting out the extras, we can help reduce the risk of putting on the pounds.”
Learn more about the FSA’s 'Check the Label' campaign or visit the Food Standards Agency in Northern Ireland Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Sources
¹ The foods featured in the ‘Check the Label’ campaign were chosen based on analysis of data sets relating to several factors which are:
a. Commonly purchased and consumed foods
b. Products in the top ten food categories that contribute to food expenditure, calories, sugar, saturated fat and salt intake
c. Inclusion on PHE’s sugar reduction targets