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We want clearer food labelling in Wales

We’ve launched a new campaign calling for clearer food labels, to help people understand more about the food and drink they buy.

Our Food Upfront campaign calls for clear, consistent and compulsory traffic-light labelling, as well as for cafes, restaurants and takeaways to include calorie information on their menus.

A Diabetes UK survey found that:

  • Only 3 in 10 people in Wales felt well informed about the nutritional information of the food they buy when eating out.

  • 73% of people in Wales believe cafes and restaurants should display calorie information.

  • 81% believe that the same measures should also apply to takeaways.

  • 73% of people in Wales agree that the food industry should be legally required to include traffic-light labelling on food and drink packaging.


Making healthier choices easier

Traffic-light labelling gives fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt a red, amber or green rating, giving people an indication of what is in the food or drink they are buying at a glance.

The labels also give information on the calories a product contains. This helps consumers make informed decisions about what they eat and drink.

This will in turn help people make healthier choices at home and when eating out and, in turn, help to stem the rising tide of Type 2 diabetes diagnoses in Wales. Around 58 percent of adults in Wales are overweight or obese, which is a significant risk factor for Type 2 diabetes.

Around nine in ten of the 191,000 people diagnosed with diabetes in Wales have Type 2 diabetes. There are also almost 60,000 people in Wales living with Type 2 diabetes who have yet to be diagnosed.

Helping with carb counting

Effective food labelling will also help people living with diabetes to manage their condition and reduce their risk of serious complications.

Knowing the carbohydrate content of food is essential for those who adjust their insulin dose by counting carbs. That’s why Food Upfront also calls for carbohydrate content per portion to be displayed clearly and consistently on all pre-packaged foods and drinks.

Our National Director, Dai Williams, said: “People living with diabetes want more information about the food and drink they buy, especially when out and about.

“Clear, consistent food labelling can help all of us make informed and healthy choices. With over half of adults in Wales classed as overweight or obese, and therefore at increased risk of Type 2 diabetes, it is really important that we have measures in place make it easier for us to lead healthier lives.

The survey results show the Welsh public overwhelmingly support this move, so we are calling for a clear commitment to the health of the nation by implementing these measures.”

Use your voice and sign the Food Upfront petition.

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