Health promotion starts from the cereal aisle. A Health Star Rating awareness campaign is being rolled out by the Health Promotion Agency and, from 21 March onwards, will see advertising on bus shelters and in cereal aisles of Countdown stores. The supermarket chain has committed to support the campaign and teach customers how to use the ratings to make better choices.
“We’re supportive of nutrition information that’s easy to understand and meaningful for our customers, which is why we voluntarily have the Health Star Rating on more than 200 of our own brand products already,” said Dave Chambers, managing director of Countdown.
The campaign, which will run until June 2018, is one of 22 initiatives launched by government in its Childhood Obesity Plan.
“Health Star Ratings are encouraging manufacturers to reformulate their products to improve their ‘star rating’, which leads to healthier products being available to consumers. Around 1,000 products with Health Star Ratings are now on supermarket shelves,” said Food Safety Minister Jo Goodhew.
The initiative includes a series of short videos that combine good information and classic Kiwi humour, making everything simple.
“Not everyone understands nutrition panels, so this quick and easy solution on the front of packs will make it easier for shoppers to identify more healthy choices, and we’re confident that once they see how easy it is, they will embrace it,” said Katherine Rich, chief executive, NZ Food and Grocery Council.
BE AWARE OF THE STARS
