Guideline Daily Amounts (GDAs)
GDAs on More Food Products
Around 65 manufacturers and retailers have now embraced the concept of
front-of-pack nutrition labelling based on Guideline Daily Amounts and this information
is
appearing on more than 20,000 product lines.
Manufacturers are committed to providing consumers with clearer food labelling
that will help them make healthier choices, which is why GDAs are proving so
popular. The scheme provides information on the levels of calories, sugars, fat,
saturates and salt contained in a suggested portion and, importantly, shows what
proportion of the Guideline Daily Amount this is.
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Readers of The Mirror Give Thumbs Up to GDA Labelling
New research carried out by The Mirror newspaper among its readers shows that
90% are aware of GDA labels and 85%
find them easy to understand.
Encouragingly, 62% say they have used the GDA labels. They use them to check
what's inside the packs they are buying; to pick products with the lowest amount
of
a specific nutrient; or to compare between two products in the same
category.
The
research also shows that consumers use the GDA information to
understand
how
healthy a product is and to help them choose products that make up
a
balanced
diet.
There are now 64 manufacturers and retailers in the UK who are displaying
visually consistent GDA labels on the front of more than 20,000 product lines, making
it the most widely adopted scheme in the market.
More Information
For further information please contact the GDA press office on 020 7820 974
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Industry's Consumer Campaign
In January 2007, the food and drink industry united to launch the What's Inside
Guide as part of a consumer education campaign to support the introduction of
GDA labelling on the front of packs.
GDA labelling is also being adopted by manufacturers and retailers across Europe.
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10 years of GDA Labelling
Although the concept has been capturing headlines throughout 2007, GDAs are not
new. In fact, they were first developed in 1998, following collaboration between
the UK Government, consumer organisations and the food industry, overseen by the
IGD, as a guide to how much energy and key nutrients are needed for a balanced
diet. They have been appearing on the back of food packs ever since.
More Information
Last reviewed: 16 May 2008