The Committee on Reduction of Salt & Sugar in Food has proposed a simple labelling scheme for the food industry to provide accessible salt and sugar information on pre-packaged food products to address consumers' demand for nutritional information.
The proposal was put forward by the committee at its meeting today on the way forward to reduce people's salt and sugar intake.
Committee chairperson Bernard Chan said international experience shows that salt and sugar reduction is a long-term and continuous process, noting that the global target set by the World Health Organisation is a 30% reduction in salt intake in 10 years.
Mr Chan said the committee proposed that Hong Kong adopt a step-by step approach, starting from the easy issues before tackling the difficult ones and that the food trade can voluntarily take the lead.
It considered working along two directions: giving people easy access to information and encouraging the catering industry and food manufacturers to provide a choice of low salt and sugar products.
The group drew reference from "traffic-light" labelling, under which different nutrition levels of specific food products are colour-coded on the front packaging so consumers can easily see the key nutrient levels.
Taking into account the industry's concerns that the scheme may create undesirable labelling effects, the committee proposed providing simple and accessible salt and sugar information on pre-packaged food products, similar to the "traffic-light" scheme, on a voluntary basis.
Mr Chan added that lowering the salt and sugar content in food through reformulation is no easy task and the committee will strengthen communication with the industry and attach importance to its views.
He noted that complicated factors including food expiry dates, storage methods, use of other flavouring, application of traditional recipes and consumers' responses have to be considered when it comes to implementation.
The committee proposed that the trade may launch pilot schemes to gradually reduce the salt and sugar in their products.
Mr Chan said the group will continue to draw on overseas experience - including engaging the International Advisory Panel on Reduction of Salt & Sugar in Food comprising five Mainland and overseas public health experts - and solicit views from the industry on further recommendations.
