Thailand experiences on healthier logo implementation

Visith Chavasit Institute of Nutrition, Mahidol University, Thailand

2

Simplified Logo

Thailand launched Front of Pack: Healthier Choice Logo on voluntary basis aiming to slow down NCDs problem

Wednesday, August 31 2016 at the Office of Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Public Health,

Nonthaburi province

Management Model of Thai Nutrition Symbol

Nutrition

Promotion Foundation

The National Food

Committee

Public hearing

Scientific committee

Public

campaign &

Symbol promotion

Private sectors

Driven

Committee

- management authority

on issuing the logo - monitoring

Thailand FDA

Sub-Committee of

Developing and Promoting

the Use of Simplified Nutrition Symbol

Budgets for logo promotion and management were supported by Thai Health

Promotion Fund.

MoPH

Notification No. 373

Food group & Criteria

Health Situation and Problems

Cooperation

Announcement

Criteria Establishment Academic working group

↓ Scientific Committee

↓ Public Hearing

↓ Approved by the Planning Committee

on Strategic Frame work for Food Management (SFFM) in Thailand of the

National Food Committee ↓

Declaration in the Food and Drug Administration’s Notification

Example of information

Used for:

• Establishing criteria

• Discussing in the scientific committee

• Discussing in the public hearing

• Reporting to the subcommittee of

the National Food Committee

• Declaring in the FDA notification

7

Product group Criteria

Total Fat g/100g

Fiber g/100g

Sugar g/100g

Sodium mg/100g

HCS Bread (loaf), breadcrumbs, Flat breads (pita, wraps), pizza crust

≤5 ≥3 - ≤450

Choice

All types of bread or substitutes for bread with the exception of

breakfast cereals. E.g.: wheat bread, wholemeal bread, crisp breads,

knäckerbrod, croissants, rye bread, speciality rolls, and crackers

- ≥4 ≤6 ≤450

EU Bread, rusks, rice, noodles, pasta, polenta

- ≥3 ≤5 ≤500

Bread ≤5** ≥3** ≤6* ≤450**

Bread Access: http://www.azhariahkamin.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/sliced-bread.jpg

Table 1 Nutrition Criteria for Bread

1.00

2.00

3.00

4.00

5.00

6.00

7.00

8.00

9.00

10.00

11.00

12.00

13.00

14.00

15.00

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 91011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738394041424344454647484950515253545556

Total Fat g/100g

Sample HCS Total Fat ≤5 g/100g Mean = 5.78 g

g

8

Bread Sample n=56

Range 1.75 -14.40 g

Mean 5.78 g

Median 5.45 g

Figure 1 Amount of Total Fat in Bread (g/100g)

24/56 Products (42%)

29/56 Products (52%)

Reduced 13 %

0.001.002.003.004.005.006.007.008.009.00

10.0011.0012.0013.0014.0015.0016.00

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 91011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738394041424344454647484950515253545556

Fiber g/100g

Sample HCS Fiber ≥3 g/100g

Choice Fiber ≥4 g/100g EU Fiber ≥5 g/100g

Mean = 2.37 g

g

9

Bread

Figure 2 Amount of Fiber in Bread (g/100g)

Sample n=56

Range 0.00 – 16.00 g

Mean 2.37 g

Median 2.00 g

11/56 Products (20%)

19/56 Products (34%) 21/56

Products (38%) Increased 27

%

0.0050.00

100.00150.00200.00250.00300.00350.00400.00450.00500.00550.00600.00650.00

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 91011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738394041424344454647484950515253545556

Sodium mg/100g

Sample HCS Sodium ≤450 mg/100g

Choice Sodium ≤450 mg/100g EU Sodium ≤500 mg/100g

10

Bread

Figure 3 Amount of Sodium in Bread (mg/100g)

Sample n=56

Range 0.00 – 460.00 mg

Mean 338.20 mg

Median 363.33 mg

56/56 Products (100%)

53/56 Products (95%)

20/56 Products (36%)

mg

0.001.002.003.004.005.006.007.008.009.00

10.0011.0012.0013.0014.0015.0016.0017.0018.0019.0020.00

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354555657

Sugar g/100g

Sample Choice Sugar ≤6 g/100g

EU Sugar ≤5 g/100g Mean = 6.74 g

g

11

Bread

Figure 4 Amount of Total Sugar in Bread (g/100g)

Sample n=56

Range 0.00 – 19.20 g

Mean 6.74 g

Median 5.04 g

28/56 Products (50%)

35/56 Products (63%)

36/56 Products (64%)

Reduced 11%

12

Bread

Total Products = 56

Food category with Healthier logo in 2019

9. BREAD

In 2020

+ Breakfast Cereals

+ Bakery Products

Totally 11 food categories 32 criteria

Nutrient Criteria

• Critically controlled (limiting) nutrients – Energy

– Sugar

– Sodium

– Fat

– Saturated fat

• Additional nutrients – Protein, Dietary fiber, Calcium, Iron – only for

Ready-to-Eat Meal

Number of companies that apply and pass the healthier logo

Totally 329 companies

(Until November, 2020)

• Ready to eat 9 companies • Beverages 234 companies • Seasonings 28 companies • Dairy products 23 companies • Instant foods 25 companies • Snacks 24 companies

• Ice cream 10 companies • Fat and oil 3 companies • Bread 2 companies • Breakfast cereal 4 companies • Bakery products 1 company

Note: one company may produce more than 1 product

Food category Number of certified

products (N)

Number of certified products sold in the

market (N)

Ready-to-eat meal 31 24 (77%)

Beverage 1,433 641 (45%)

Seasoning sauce 50 26 (52%)

Dairy product 163 79 (48%)

Instant food 150 84 (56%)

Snack 79 31 (40%)

Ice cream 95 56 (59%)

Fat and oil 5 2 (40%)

Bread 4 4 (100%)

Breakfast Cereals 6 0

Bakery Product 1 0

2,017

947 (47%)

Data on Nov 30, 2020

Data on Nov 30, 2020

127 290 507 552 541 72

177 259 274 165 127

417

924

1476

2017

72

249

508

782 947

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2000

2200Nu

mbe

r of p

rodu

cts

Number of certified products (N)

Number of certified products sold in the market (N)

Cumulative number of certified products (N)

Cumulative Number of certified products sold in the market (N)

N = 2,017 P. (after withdrawal 85 products).

N = 947 P. (after withdrawal 48 products).

2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Numbers of certified and marketed products with healthier logo

Post-marketing Monitoring

Sampling 10% of the products for

limiting nutrient analyses

Non-performed

Warning

Problem solving Problem solving

Continue marketing Logo Withdrawal

No Action Legal Action

False Labeling

Pass No-Pass

Updated Na & Potassium Intakes in Thais

Estimated dietary sodium intake in Thailand: A nation-wide population survey with 24-hour urine collections.

By Worawon Chailimpamontree et. al. December, 2020

Na intake: 3,636 mg/day

Urinary K: 1,221 mg/day

Ketchup, 0.08

Chili & dipping

sauces, 0.34 Other sauces, 0.42

Oyster sauce, 1.09

Snacks, 1.14 Soybean

sauces, 2.05

Instant noodles,

2.34

Seasoning sauce, 3.75

MSG, 12.98

Bouillon cube, 17.37

Fish sauce, 29.18

Salt 29.26

Contribution of sodium from industrial-produced food products in Thai population

Data on Nov 30, 2020

127 290 507 552 541 72

177 259 274 165 127

417

924

1476

2017

72

249

508

782 947

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2000

2200

ค.ศ. 2016 ค.ศ. 2017 ค.ศ. 2018 ค.ศ. 2019 ค.ศ. 2020

Num

ber o

f pro

duct

s

Number of certified products (N)

Number of certified products sold in the market (N)

Cumulative number of certified products (N)

Cumulative Number of certified products sold in the market (N)

N = 2,017 P. Cancel certification 85 P.

N = 947 P. Cancel certification 48 P.

Sodium- reduced fermented fishes and its consequence

Program Expansion into communities and hospitals, 2020

lampang

Suratthani

Roi-et

COMMUNITY - BASED

COMMUNITY - BASED

COMMUNITY -BASED

Chiangrai

Ubonratchani

Saratthani

HOSPITAL-BASED

HOSPITAL – BASED

HOSPITAL – BASED

Communication Strategies ; Healthier choice National Policy : Street Food Good Health

Communication Strategies ; Healthier Community Healthier Community 1. Healthier Street Food – Suratthani province

ปั

Night Market at Suratthani province, October 2020

Communication Strategies ; Healthier Community Healthier Community 2. Healthier KIDS/ Healthier Shops at school and community in Roi-et province

Communication Strategies ; Healthier Community Healthier Community Healthier Noodles – Lampang province

Lampang province

• 30 Noodle shops

• Contribution of sugar from industrial food products in Thais

• Get on-line survey on changes in recognition and use of healthier logo of consumer during the past 5 years and after (Mintel)

• Percentage and market share of products with healthier logo within each food category during the past 5 years and after (Mintel and Nielsen)

• More criteria for industrial food products (partly upon requested) as well as ready-to-eat salads and cut fruits.

• Expand more criteria for food ingredients especially for cooking and seasonings.

• Healthier restaurant and street foods with cost evaluations

• Healthier hospital foods

• Monitoring the changes in contents of limiting nutrients and potassium in reformulated ready-to-eat foods

• Logo promotion through franchise coffee shops, restaurants and street foods.

• Mutual recognition of the Healthier logos among the ASEAN countries.

Communication Strategies ; Healthier choice Healthier CAFÉ 15,000 shops

Working area: Local Market, Supermarket, Food festival, Fairs, School, etc.

Target group: More than 10,000,000 people/year

Government : Thai FDA, Dept. of Health

Private Sector Academic Sector

Communication Strategies of Healthier Logo

Communication Strategies of Healthier Logo 1. Offline 2. Online marketing 3. On ground Event

Communication Strategies ; Healthier choice Offline : TV Newspapers and magazines

Communication Strategies of Healthier Logo Online marketing

Communication Strategies of Healthier Logo On –ground PR-kit

- Village Health Volunteer

- Junior FDA

Communication Strategies of Healthier Logo ADs on public Bus Thai FDA

Communication Strategies of Healthier Logo Support from supermarkets: Shelf talker, House brand, In-store testing

Communication Strategies of Healthier Logo New year’s basket of Healthier products

Thai FDA

Communication Strategies of Healthier Logo By Food Industries

Communication Strategies of Healthier Logo By Food Industries

Communication Strategies of Healthier Logo By Food Industries

Communication Strategies of Healthier Logo By Food Industries

Balanced Lifestyle

Energy Diet Emotion

Monitoring and Evaluation of Healthier Logo

49

Number of food products with healthier logo

available in the market

Consumer

communication

Change in buying behavior of the population Use of the logo as a sale point

Reduction of undesirable nutrient intakes

INPUTS EXPECTED IMPACTS