Nutrition‐related food marketing: a case study of whole grain promotion on breads

Abstract

With the release of recommendations for increased whole grain consumption, the term ‘whole grain’ is now increasingly appearing on packaged food products in Canada. Manufacturers’ use of this term is voluntary and unregulated, raising questions about the nature of nutrition guidance being provided. To examine the relationship between front‐of‐package (FOP) references and whole grain content, nutritional content and price, we collected nutrition facts table information, ingredient list and price for all breads sold in 3 major supermarket chains in Toronto (n=1,002). Bread was selected for study because it is a staple food, widely consumed, and 55% of products have FOP nutrition‐related marketing. 21% of breads bore a reference to whole grain; this included 51% with whole grain ingredients in the first position meeting USDA or Whole Grains Council criteria, but we could not quantify whole grain content. The presence of a whole grain reference was associated with significantly higher fibre, lower sodium, and higher fat content. Mean price did not differ by presence of a whole grain reference, but few breads with whole grain references fell within the lower tertile of price. Our results suggest that manufacturers’ applications of this term are providing valuable nutrition guidance, but mandatory, standardized information on whole grain content would enable consumers to make more informed purchases. Funded by CIHR.