Daily Intake Guide use increases

The latest in store labelling audit by the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) has shown a 3000% increase in the number of products in Australia showing Daily Intake Guide (DIG) front-of-pack labelling since 2007. The more than 2000 products showing DIG in 2009 have come long way from the 58 in 2007.

AFGC Chief Executive Kate Carnell has commented that House Brands are now starting to contain DIG. Around 180 of the country’s leading brands are now using DIG on their products.

“The DIG scheme gives people the information needed to formulate a daily eating plan according to their individual needs and activity levels. They show the amount of energy, fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt in a recommended serve of the food and what this represents as a proportion of average daily intake,” Ms Carnell advised. “AFGC and its retail partners will be rolling out user-friendly consumer education material in retail stores to ensure consumers know how to use the nutritional information to formulate a balance diet.”

This increasing trend shows that food businesses are recognising the move by the public for more information about the food they are buying and eating.

It must be remembered that all labelling aspects, including the use of DIG, are under review currently by the Labelling Review chaired by Dr Neal Blewett. For more information go to www.foodstandards.gov.au