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Publication - Advice and guidance

Criteria for the Healthcare Retail Standard

Published
9 October 2015
Topic
Health and social care
ISBN
9781785446115

Document details the criteria, rationale and scope of the Healthcare Retail Standard for all retail providers operating in the NHS in Scotland. This standard will become mandatory in accordance with CMO letter (2015)19.

View supporting documents Supporting documents

Annex A

Provision and Promotion Criteria

Vegetables

ITEM CRITERIA
PROVISION
(50% of all food for retail must meet these criteria) 		PROMOTION
Fresh vegetables Any All plain varieties, including ready prepared
Canned Vegetables Any Only vegetables with no added salt or sugar
Frozen Fruit and Vegetables Any Only fruit and vegetables without added salt or sugar
Beans and Pulses Refer to Annex B-Standard Nutrition Criteria All plain varieties, including dried and frozen and canned without added salt or sugar
Canned beans and pulses in sauce, including baked beans in tomato sauce Refer to Annex B-Standard Nutrition Criteria Only varieties that meet the following criteria:
No more than 5g sugar per 100g
No more than 0.56g salt or 225mg sodium per 100g

Foods Rich in Starchy Carbohydrates and Fibre

ITEM CRITERIA
PROVISION
(50% of all food for retail must meet these criteria) 		PROMOTION
Potatoes Any All plain fresh varieties (including sweet potatoes and yams), and canned potatoes with no added salt
Oven chips and other potato products Refer to Annex B-Standard Nutrition Criteria Only chilled and frozen chips and potato products that meet the following criteria:

No more than 5% total fat, and require no addition of fat in preparation

No more than 0.69g salt or 275mg sodium per 100g

Excludes crisps and snacks
Grains including rice, cous cous, bulgar wheat, polenta and quinoa Refer to Annex B-Standard Nutrition Criteria All plain varieties of grains

Excludes products with added ingredients
Pasta and noodles Refer to Annex B-Standard Nutrition Criteria All plain varieties of pasta and noodles

Excludes products with added ingredients

Fish

ITEM CRITERIA
PROVISION
(50% of all food for retail must meet these criteria) 		PROMOTION
Fresh and frozen oil rich fish Refer to Annex B-Standard Nutrition Criteria All plain oil rich fish including salmon, mackerel, sardines, tuna

Excludes smoked products and products with additions such as sauces, batters or crumbs
Canned oil rich fish Refer to Annex B-Standard Nutrition Criteria All varieties that meet the following criteria:

No more than 1.5g salt or 600mg sodium per 100g (maximum)

Excludes canned tuna because the essential fatty acids are largely removed in the canning process
Fresh and frozen white fish Refer to Annex B-Standard Nutrition Criteria All plain white fish

Excludes smoked products and products with additions such as sauces, batters or crumbs

Meat and Other Non-Dairy Protein Sources

ITEM CRITERIA
PROVISION
(50% of all food for retail must meet these criteria) 		PROMOTION
Fresh and frozen lean white meat Refer to Annex B-Standard Nutrition Criteria All plain products

Excludes products with additions such as sauces, batters or crumbs
Fresh and frozen vegetarian lean meat substitutes Refer to Annex B-Standard Nutrition Criteria All plain products

Excludes products such as vegetarian sausages, burgers

Excludes products with additions such as sauces, batters or crumbs

Desserts

ITEM CRITERIA
PROVISION
(50% of all food for retail must meet these criteria) 		PROMOTION
Plain unsweetened yoghurt Must contain 3 grams or less of fat. For portions less than 100 grams they must contain 16 grams or less of sugar or for portions more than 100 grams they must contain 18.8 grams or less. All plain yoghurt containing no more than 3g per 100g fat
Flavoured yoghurt Must contain 3 grams or less of fat. For portions less than 100 grams they must contain 16 grams or less of sugar or for portions more than 100 grams they must contain 18.8 grams or less. Only products containing no more than 3g per 100g fat and 10g per 100g sugars
All other types Refer to Annex B-Standard Nutrition Criteria Refer to Annex B-Standard Nutrition Criteria

Soft Drinks, Flavoured Water, Fruit Juice & Flavoured Milk

ITEM CRITERIA
PROVISION
(70% of all drinks for retail must meet these criteria) 		PROMOTION
Fruit juice If soft drinks are served 70% must be sugar free (less than 0.5g/100ml); up to 30% can contain sugar by both brand and volume. This 30% section must include unsweetened fruit juice. Refer to Annex B-Standard Nutrition Criteria. No promotion
Carbonated or still flavoured drinks containing sugar(e.g. cola, lemonade, etc.) No promotion
Flavoured Milk Drinks (e.g. milk shakes, chilled coffee) No promotion
Sugar free drinks If soft drinks are served at least 70% must be sugar free (less than 0.5g of sugar per 100ml) by both brand and volume. Refer to Annex B-Standard Nutrition Criteria. Only sugar free drinks containing no more than 0.5g of sugar per 100g/ml
Excludes drinks containing more than 150mg caffeine per litre, where manufacturers are required to declare "High Caffeine Content" on the packaging, in accordance with food labelling regulations[1]

Excludes drinks based on tea or coffee extracts
Milk Refer to Annex B-Standard Nutrition Criteria Only plain skimmed, 1% and semi skimmed milk

Excludes milk with added ingredients
Water Refer to Annex B-Standard Nutrition Criteria Plain or flavoured (still and sparkling) sugar free waters containing no more than 0.5g of sugar per 100g/ml
Hot Drinks Any as long as skimmed, 1% and semi skimmed milk is made available Only drinks containing no milk or skimmed, 1% and semi skimmed milk.

Excludes drinks containing more than 150mg caffeine per litre, where manufacturers are required to declare "High Caffeine Content" on the packaging, in accordance with food labelling regulations[2]

Composite Products

ITEM CRITERIA
PROVISION
(50% of all food for retail must meet these criteria) 		PROMOTION
Pasta sauces Refer to Annex B-Standard Nutrition Criteria Only tomato or vegetable based sauces containing no more than 0.93g salt or 370mg sodium per 100g
Ready meals and takeaway dishes Refer to Annex B-Standard Nutrition Criteria Refer to Annex B-Standard Nutrition Criteria
Vegetable based soup Refer to Annex B-Standard Nutrition Criteria Vegetable and / or pulse (e.g. lentil) based soups.

Only products containing no more than 0.63g salt or 250mg sodium per 100g as consumed (i.e. not as dried)

Excludes creamed soups
Prepared salad dishes with a carbohydrate base e.g. potatoes, pasta, rice or couscous Refer to Annex B-Standard Nutrition Criteria Refer to Annex B-Standard Nutrition Criteria
Sandwiches, wraps, filled rolls. baguettes. Refer to Annex B-Standard Nutrition Criteria Only products that meet the following criteria:

contains salad/vegetables

no more than 400 kcals per serving/ pack

no more than 1.8g salt or 720mg of sodium per portion
Bread Refer to Annex B-Standard Nutrition Criteria All plain bread and rolls containing no more than 1.13g salt or 450mg sodium per 100g. Excludes bread and rolls with additional ingredients

Wholemeal bread should always be included in any bread promotion
Other baked goods including pastries, cakes, tarts, tray bakes, pies, doughnuts and scones. Refer to Annex B-Standard Nutrition Criteria No promotion
Rolled oats, oatmeal and barley Refer to Annex B-Standard Nutrition Criteria All plain varieties

Excludes products with added ingredients
Breakfast cereals Products must contain:
  • 22.5 g or less of sugar;
  • 1.5 g or less of salt per 100 g; and
  • more than 5 g of fibre.
Products must contain:
  • No more than 10 g sugar/100 g
  • No more than 1.0 g salt or 400 mg sodium per 100 g (max).
  • more than 5 g of fibre per 100 g

Snacks

ITEM CRITERIA
PROVISION
(50% of all food for retail must meet these criteria) 		PROMOTION
Savoury Snacks Refer to Annex B-Standard Nutrition Criteria No Promotion
Confectionery Refer to Annex B-Standard Nutrition Criteria No promotion
Fresh Fruit Any All plain varieties, including ready prepared
Canned Fruit Any Only fruit with no added sugar or syrup
Dried Fruit Any (but portion size should be limited to 30g) Only as part of a Meal Deal (but portion size should be limited to 30g)
Biscuits Refer to Annex B-Standard Nutrition Criteria No promotion

Contact

Email: Peter Faassen de Heer

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