4 extra of the world’s largest meals producers are going through questions from traders concerning the dietary make-up of their product portfolios.
Nestlé, Danone, Kellogg and Kraft Heinz have “vital publicity to regulatory threat worldwide”, the traders argue, as governments introduce guidelines on recipes and advertising.
A gaggle of traders together with asset supervisor Authorized & Common Funding Administration and BMO International Asset Administration has signed letters despatched to the businesses by ShareAction, the UK-based charity and ESG advocate.
Final month, Unilever announced strikes to measure and set dietary targets after criticism from traders convened by ShareAction.
The Magnum ice-cream maker will measure its efficiency towards six “government-endorsed nutrient profile fashions”, such because the excessive fats, salt and sugar (HFSS) initiative within the UK and NutriScore in wider Europe.
ShareAction mentioned traders now need Nestlé, Danone, Kellogg and Kraft Heinz to publish related methods in time for his or her 2023 annual studies.
“Regulatory developments, in addition to client help for more healthy merchandise, imply that meals companies should think about well being as an more and more materials threat issue,” Ignacio Vazquez, senior supervisor at ShareAction, mentioned.
“Traders want corporations to make use of standardised well being metrics to find out their publicity to regulatory threat and their place relative to opponents on this difficulty. In step with their ambition to be leaders in vitamin and well being, we’re calling on these meals corporations to comply with Unilever in committing to better disclosure round their gross sales of more healthy merchandise and to extend their ambitions on this space.”
Within the letters, the traders sought to distinction the knowledge the meals producers disclose on the well being profile of their merchandise with the Entry to Vitamin Initiative (ATNI), which ShareAction describes as “the main benchmarking organisation for meals corporations and their traders”.
In response to ShareAction, Nestlé claims 80.5% of its gross sales are wholesome, assembly the Swiss big’s personal Nestle Dietary Basis profiling standards. ATNI argues the determine ought to be 43%. Share Motion mentioned Danone claims 90% of its gross sales are in wholesome classes, which ATNI places at 65%.
Nestlé mentioned: “Nestlé can be wanting on the most related option to benchmark itself towards exterior and recognised vitamin requirements. This company-wide work is ongoing and Nestlé is participating with ShareAction on this essential subject.”
A spokesperson for Danone, residence to Activia yogurts and Alpro dairy-free milk, added: “Since 2006 we have now got down to convey well being by means of meals to as many individuals as attainable and we’re dedicated to offering ever clearer, ever extra full data on our merchandise’ elements and dietary worth, in addition to consumer information reminiscent of portion sizes and best-by/use-by dates. For instance, we promote the usage of Nutri-Rating in Europe. This vitamin labelling system, backed by over 50 scientific research, is well-regarded by customers and has an actual affect on their buying choices.”
Nutri-Rating, developed in France and utilized in various western European markets, relies on a traffic-light system and ranks a meals’s dietary high quality from A to E. Retailers together with France’s Auchan, the Netherlands’ Albert Heijn and Belgium’s Colruyt and producers reminiscent of Nestlé, Danone and Kellogg have launched the labels in sure markets.
Nonetheless, the system has not been with out its critics. Final 12 months, CNAOL, the physique representing the French dairy trade, referred to as for an exemption for sure merchandise. It mentioned the labels “risk confusing the minds of consumers”. Opposition to the label principally comes from southern Europe, the place international locations concern the affect the usage of the label might have on the so-called Mediterranean weight-reduction plan.
Kraft Heinz, in the meantime, says 76% of its gross sales are wholesome and adjust to its vitamin targets. In contrast, ATNI says 39% of the ketchup maker’s gross sales could be thought to be wholesome.
ShareAction says Kellogg’s doesn’t report on the well being profile of its gross sales. In response to ATNI, 27% of the breakfast cereal maker’s gross sales meet authorities definitions of wholesome.
Kraft Heinz didn’t present an announcement on the time of writing. A spokesperson for the US-based producer mentioned it had not obtained a letter signed by Authorized & Common Funding Administration and BMO International Asset Administration.
Earlier at present within the UK, it emerged Kellogg has started legal action towards the UK authorities over its plans to limit the promotion of meals deemed to be excessive in sugar.
Just Food opinion pages: Promise of ESG progress remains despite Unilever reality check
