Abstract
Improvement of national food supplies are an opportunity to improve a country's health. Our aim was to identify the major food companies manufacturing packaged foods and non-alcoholic beverages available in New Zealand supermarkets in 2018; to assess the healthiness of products using (1) the Health Star Rating (HSR) system, (2) Australian Dietary Guidelines classification (core/discretionary), and (3) by level of processing; to compare the healthiness of products displaying and not displaying the HSR and; to assess potential for food reformulation within selected food sub-categories. Information on packaged foods was obtained from the Nutritrack supermarket database. Companies that manufactured each food and brand were identified using company websites and the New Zealand companies register. In total, 13,506 packaged products were mapped to 1,767 brands and 1,214 companies. Based on market share of products available for sale (Euromonitor data), there were 22 dominating companies producing 31% of products and 17% of brands. Fifty-nine percent of products were classified as unhealthy (HSR <3.5/5 stars), 53% as discretionary, and 69% as ultra-processed. Products displaying the HSR on the package had a higher mean HSR ±SD than if the HSR was not displayed (3.2±1.3 versus 2.5±1.4, p = 0.000). Efforts to improve the healthiness of products should be directed to the 22 food companies dominating this market share, particularly in the core foods groups which are currently less likely to meet Heart Foundation reformulation targets (bread, breakfast cereals, cheese, canned baked beans, yoghurt). The New Zealand supermarket packaged food supply included in the Nutritrack database is dominated by a small number of companies and is mostly unhealthy. Government leadership is required to improve the healthiness of the packaged food supply and provide adequate information to consumers. This includes interventions setting reformulation targets for core food groups, setting population nutrient intake targets and mandating that the HSR is displayed on all products.
Highlights
The burden of disease attributable to dietary factors among adults aged 25 years or older is 11 million deaths and 255 million disability adjusted-life years (DALYs) [1, 2]
The authors of these previous studies concluded that the respective food supplies were dominated by highly processed packaged food and beverage products, and the mean (SD) Health Star Rating (HSR) was similar to New Zealand (NZ) 2.7 (1.4) compared with the US 2.7 (1.4) and Australia 2.8 (1.4)
In 2018, packaged foods and beverages available in NZ supermarkets included in the Nutritrack database were dominated by discretionary products (53%), products with HSR
Summary
The burden of disease attributable to dietary factors among adults aged 25 years or older is 11 million deaths and 255 million disability adjusted-life years (DALYs) [1, 2]. High intake of sodium and low intakes of whole grains and fruit accounted for more than half of all dietrelated deaths and two-thirds of diet-related DALYs [2]. In New Zealand (NZ), the average population diet for both adults and children is low in fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds with an excess intake of foods high in sodium and sugar [2]. In NZ, the packaged food industry is experiencing steady moderate sales growth [13] with many New Zealanders considering price and convenience the most important factors when making decisions around food [15]. The packaged food industry has an important role to play in improving population diets and preventing non-communicable chronic diseases [16]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
