An Independent Audit of the Australian Food Industry's Voluntary Front of Pack Labelling Scheme for Energy Dense, Nutrition Poor Foods

In 2006, the Australian food industry introduced a voluntary front of pack food labelling system, the Daily Intake Guide (DIG), similar to the US Nutrition Keys. The industry claims over 4000 food products currently feature the DIG, enabling claims it is a success story of industry self-regulation. However, there exist no independently verified data to indicate the effectiveness of the industry's self-regulation. A list was created of energy dense, nutrient poor (EDNP) snack foods and drinks. Nine supermarkets were visited, and a comprehensive audit was created per category of DIG labels appearing on each and the surface area of each pack front. Of 752 EDNP food and drink products audited, the DIG was present on nearly two-thirds (64%). However, of these 80% displayed the "energy alone" variant of the DIG with information on energy content, but neither saturated fat nor sugar. Of those displaying saturated fat and sugar content, most (75%) were budget supermarket brands and fewer than 5% of branded products featured such information. Most manufacturers (80%) were found to be using the DIG "energy alone" label in breach of the industry's own DIG Code of Conduct that suggests such should only be used for packaging with limited space. A majority of Australian manufacturers of EDNP snack foods and drinks have adopted the DIG, but few are willing to display saturated fat and sugar content. Nearly 9 in 10 manufacturers are in direct breach of the industry's own DIG codes, seriously questioning claims that industry self-regulation has been successful.