Unilever U.S. Unveils ‘Choices’ Program
In September, Unilever United States introduced a front-of-pack nutritional logo program called Choices. The new logo, which will start appearing on products in the near future, provides a quick, simple way for consumers to identify food and drinks based on four major “nutrients of concern”—trans fat, saturated fat, sodium and added sugars. Over one-third of Unilever’s food portfolio in the U.S. will qualify for the logo under brands such as Ragu, Slim-Fast, Lipton, Skippy, Promise, Hellmann’s and Bertolli. The program was officially unveiled at the American Dietetic Association’s Annual Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo in Honolulu, HI.
In order to qualify for the logo, Unilever products must meet strict nutrition criteria on all four nutrients—trans fat, saturated fat, sodium and sugar—set by Unilever’s global Nutrition Enhancement Program (NEP), a product benchmark program based on 20 different sets of dietary guidelines from worldwide health organizations, including the dietary guidelines in the U.S. On top of that, in the U.S. Unilever also limits the use of the Choices logo to those products that have less than 60 mg of cholesterol per serving in order to be consistent with FDA guidelines.
The Choices logo consists of a blue circle featuring a big blue “tick” and a golden sun rising over it, signifying vitality. The words “Eat Smart” or “Drink Smart” in bold letters on the top, and the words “Based on U.S. Dietary Guidelines” on the bottom, accompany the symbol. The logo will be supplemented by more in-depth on-pack text, with general dietary guidance and other nutritional information about why a particular product is a healthy choice. The text is designed to complement the Nutrition Facts panels, as well as other health-related information provided on packages. Additional details will be available on individual brand websites and through customer call-in phone lines.