Nutrition labelling of pre-packaged foods in Belgrade, Serbia: current situation

• Published in: Public health nutrition Vol. 18; no. 11; pp. 1969 - 1978
• Main Authors: Davidović, Dragana B, Tomić, Dragan V, Paunović, Katarina Ž, Vasiljević, Nadja D, Jorga, Jagoda B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.08.2015
• Subjects: breakfast cereals; Consumers; Descriptive labeling; descriptive studies; Developing countries; Diabetes; Diet; Disease prevention; dried milk; energy; Food; Food Labeling; Food Packaging; Food products; Food Supply; health claims; Humans; Infectious diseases; LDCs; Legislation; meat products; Milk; Nutrition; Nutrition communication; nutrition labeling; Nutrition research; Nutritive Value; Obesity; Overweight; Packaging; Reading; Research Papers; Retail stores; saturated fats; Serbia; sodium; soft drinks; soups; sugars; Yogurt; Serbia; Labelling; Nutrition information; Pre-packaged food
• ISSN: 1368-9800; 1475-2727; 1475-2727
• DOI: 10.1017/S1368980014002353

To determine the presence of nutrition labels on pre-packaged food products, as well as to analyse the types of presentation. This was a descriptive study. The following characteristics were analysed: (i) presence and placement of the nutrition declaration (either as front-of-pack (FOP) or back-of-pack (BOP)); (ii) content of the presented information; (iii) presence of nutrition and health claims; and (iv) legibility of the written information. Settings Three different types of retailers in Belgrade, Serbia. A total of 2138 pre-packaged food products from ten categories. A nutrition declaration was found on 65.9% of all tested products. It was displayed on the back of the packaging of 62.7% of products and on the front of the packaging of 19.1% of products. BOP was the most commonly observed in breakfast cereals, soft drinks, milk and instant soups (in total over 90%), and the least common in meat products (21.5%). FOP was predominantly displayed on breakfast cereals (65.0%) and the least frequently on milk products (2.4%). The 'Big 4' (energy value, protein, carbohydrate and fat contents) and the 'Big 4 with additional information' figured on 40.9% of products. The 'Big 8' ('Big 4' plus sugar, saturated fat, fibre and sodium contents) and the 'Big 8 with additional information' were present less frequently (20.5%). Nutrition claims and health claims appeared on very few products (6.6% and 6.3%, respectively). The proportion of products with insufficient legibility was 31.5%. Nutrition labelling in Belgrade, Serbia is not satisfactory. Mandatory regulations may be the best way to improve the current situation.