Food Reformulation and Nutritional Quality of Food Consumption: an Analysis Based on Households Panel Data in France

Overview

Journal Eur J Clin Nutr

Specialty Nutritional Sciences

Date 2017 Dec 23

PMID 29269888

Citations 22

Authors

Marine Spiteri

Louis-Georges Soler

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background/objectives: We aimed to quantify the contribution of food reformulation to changes in the nutritional quality of consumers' food purchases, and compare it with the impact of substitutions made by consumers.

Subjects/methods: Using a brand-specific data set in France, we considered the changes in the nutrient content of food products in four food sectors over a 3-year period. These data were matched with data on consumers' purchases to estimate the change in the nutritional quality of consumers' purchases. This change was divided into three components: the reformulation of food products, the launching of new products and the consumers' substitutions between products. Key nutrients were selected for each food group: breakfast cereals (sugar, fats, SFA, fiber, and sodium), biscuits and cakes (sugar, fats, SFA, and fiber), potato chips (fats, SFA, and sodium) and soft drinks (sugar).

Results: Product reformulation initiatives have improved existing products for most food group-nutrient pairs. In particular, the contribution of food reformulation to the change in nutritional quality of food purchases was strong in potato chips (the sales-weighted mean SFA and sodium contents decreased by 31.4% to 52.1% and 6.7% to 11.1%, respectively), and breakfast cereals (the sales-weighted mean sodium content decreased by 7.3% to 9.7%). Regarding the launching of new products, the results were ambiguous. Consumers' substitutions between food items were not generally associated to an improvement in the nutritional quality of the food purchases.

Conclusions: Policies aiming to promote food reformulation may have greater impact than those promoting changes in consumer behavior.

Citing Articles

The Impact of Non-Fiscal Mandatory and Voluntary Policies and Interventions on the Reformulation of Food and Beverage Products: A Systematic Review.

Packer J, Michalopoulou S, Cruz J, Dhar D, Stansfield C, Kaczmarska H Nutrients. 2024; 16(20).

PMID: 39458480 PMC: 11509918. DOI: 10.3390/nu16203484.

Nutritional Quality of Breakfast Cereals on the French, Belgian and Luxembourg Markets: Which Cereals for Children?.

Robert M, Martin F, Xhonneux A, Mosser F, Favre E, Richonnet C Nutrients. 2024; 16(16).

PMID: 39203837 PMC: 11357527. DOI: 10.3390/nu16162701.

Modelling the public health benefits of fibre fortification in the Chinese population through food reformulation.

Teh T, Ying Y, Schnor N, Flynn B, Goodwin W, OSullivan W BMJ Open. 2024; 14(5):e079924.

PMID: 38803256 PMC: 11328657. DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-079924.

Consumers' Preferences towards Bread Characteristics Based on Food-Related Lifestyles: Insights from Slovenia.

Kusar A, Pravst I, Pivk Kupirovic U, Grunert K, Kreft I, Hristov H Foods. 2023; 12(20).

PMID: 37893659 PMC: 10606115. DOI: 10.3390/foods12203766.

Sugar Reduction Initiatives in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: A Systematic Review.

Al-Jawaldeh A, Taktouk M, Naalbandian S, Aguenaou H, Al Hamad N, Almamary S Nutrients. 2023; 15(1).

PMID: 36615712 PMC: 9823488. DOI: 10.3390/nu15010055.

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