Benefits of a modified traffic light labelling system for food products

The prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and other diet-related chronic diseases is increasing worldwide due to the global rise in overweight and obesity. Numerous ways to communicate nutritional information to consumers can be considered to effectively improve eating habits, thereby counteracting this development. Traffic light labels have been discussed in Germany as a possible tool to communicate easy-to-understand information about the nutritional value of food products. However, the design of traffic light labels discussed to-date is aimed only at reducing the intake of fat, saturated fatty acids, sugar, and salt. The aspect of consuming adequate amounts of vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibre has been neglected so far. Traffic light labelling including information on this aspect of a healthy diet would significantly improve the potential for promoting healthier diets.