Chocolate gets a labelling makeover

Chocolate bars and sweet packaging are soon to include health messages in an echo of warnings on cigarette packets. In the past, manufacturers have been criticised for 'incentivising' the purchase of chocolate in exchange for sports equipment. So it's good to see a new non profit-led campaign being launched to raise health awareness.

Cadbury Trebor Bassett and Mars have joined forces to promote a 'be treatwise' campaign, launched by the Biscuit, Cake, Chocolate and Confectionery Association. The new labelling will include detailed nutritional information and the government's guideline daily amounts, along with a rotating stock of health messages such as 'be active for 30 minutes a day'. The aim is to educate the public, especially younger consumers, about diet. This new packaging comes on the back of the government's Choosing Health white paper, which called for support from the food industry to promote healthy eating and lifestyles.

Clearer labelling on food packaging is something consumers always request, and the planned colour-coded panels should make for easier reading and more informed buyers. Also helpful, especially for children, is the linking of the relationship between input of food and output in the form of exercise. The demonising of any food is never wise -- nutritionists recommend eating all things in moderation, as part of a balanced diet. It's a message chocolate manufacturers are keen to promote.

But it is not all good news. Some chocolate bars, categorised as 'treat' items by the manufacturers, such as Creme Eggs, will not receive the new packaging. A cynic might also wonder if the confectionery giants are hoping to attract new customers by displaying more clearly the nutritional content of their products and highlighting how the fat content can be worked off. Might non-chocolate eaters be more tempted to indulge?