The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has published first of its kind Guidance on Comparative Nutrition Claims. It provides detailed best practice guidance on the requirements and appropriate wording for comparative nutrition claims to be used in the labelling and advertising of food and drink products.
Comparative nutrition claims stipulate a difference in the quantity of a nutrient or energy value such as increased or reduced nutrients, reduced calories, or use of the term ‘light’, when compared to products already available on the market. The guidance also describes non-permitted comparative nutrition claims but does not cover non-nutrition comparative claims such as ‘30% more fruit’.
The FDF industry guidance aims to help manufacturers achieve compliance with this complex area of legislation by providing much-needed clarity on the substantiation of comparative nutrition claims. The appropriate use of comparative nutrition claims can effectively communicate to consumers when a nutritional profile has been significantly improved as a result of reformulation. It can also serve to communicate a product’s nutritional position relative to the average profile of products available on the market.