We use cookies to collect anonymous data to help us improve your site browsing experience.

Click 'Accept all cookies' to agree to all cookies that collect anonymous data. To only allow the cookies that make the site work, click 'Use essential cookies only.' Visit 'Set cookie preferences' to control specific cookies.

Set cookie preferences

Your cookie preferences have been saved. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

Publication - Advice and guidance

SGF Healthy Living Programme Guidance for Promoting Produce

Published
29 July 2014
Topic
Health and social care
ISBN
9781784126919

Guidance designed to help retailers decide what foods they can promote though the Healthy Living Programme and how to do it.

View supporting documents Supporting documents

2. FOOD AND DRINKS ALLOWED FOR PROMOTION

Details of products which SGF Healthy Living Programme retailers may promote using Programme materials are given below in Table 1. Most of the foods and drinks included in this table support more than one Scottish Dietary Goal.

Criteria are set out for certain products to ensure that promotions included in the programme do not increase intakes of sugars, fats or salt. For example, the list encourages retailers to promote bread as it is a great replacement for high fat and sugary foods with starchy foods. However, it is equally important that the salt content of bread is capped.

If you are unsure about any of the criteria, you should contact the Healthy Living Programme for assistance.

The Scottish Dietary Goals underpin and set the direction for dietary improvement in Scotland. To achieve our goals it is important that dietary intakes are rebalanced to contain more fruit and vegetables, more foods that are rich in starchy carbohydrates and fibre, more oil rich fish, fewer calories and less fat, salt and sugar.

Positive promotion of the following foods, coupled with fewer promotions of high fat, salt and sugar foods, will help shift the balance toward a diet that better reflects our dietary goals.

Table 1: Foods and drinks supporting the Scottish Dietary Goals Food Offerings and Promotions

Category number and description Guidance notes
FRUIT AND VEGETABLES
1 Fresh fruit and vegetables All plain varieties, including ready prepared
2 Canned Fruit Only fruit with no added sugar or syrup
3 Canned Vegetables Only vegetables with no added salt or sugar
4 Frozen Fruit and Vegetables Only fruit and vegetables without added salt or sugar
5 Beans and Pulses All plain varieties, including dried and frozen and canned without added salt or sugar
6 Canned beans and pulses in sauce, including baked beans in tomato sauce 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
7 Bread 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
8 Potatoes All plain fresh varieties (including sweet potatoes and yams), and canned potatoes with no added salt.
9 Oven chips and other potato products 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
10 Grains including rice, cous cous, bulgar wheat, polenta and quinoa All plain varieties of grains

Excludes products with added ingredients
11 Pasta and noodles All plain varieties of pasta and noodles

Excludes products with added ingredients
12 Rolled oats, oatmeal and barley All plain varieties Excludes products with added ingredients
13 Breakfast cereals Only breakfast cereals that meet the following criteria:

No more than 10g sugar/100g

No more than 1.0g salt or 400mg sodium per 100g (maximum)
FISH, MEAT AND OTHER NON DAIRY PROTEIN SOURCES
14 Fresh and frozen oil rich fish All plain oil rich fish including salmon, mackerel, sardines, tuna

Excludes smoked products and products with additions such as sauces, batters or crumbs
15 Canned oil rich fish 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
16 Fresh and frozen white fish, All plain white fish

Excludes smoked products and products with additions such as sauces, batters or crumbs
17 Fresh and frozen lean white meat All plain products

Excludes products with additions such as sauces, batters or crumbs
18 Fresh and frozen vegetarian lean meat substitutes All plain products

Excludes products such as vegetarian sausages , burgers

Excludes products with additions such as sauces, batters or crumbs
DAIRY PRODUCTS
19 Milk Only plain skimmed, 1% and semi skimmed milk

Excludes milk with added ingredients
20 Plain yoghurt All plain yoghurt containing no more than 3g per 100g fat
21 Flavoured yoghurt Only products containing no more than 3g per 100g fat and 10g per 100g sugars.
DRINKS (in addition to milk)
22 Water Only plain (still and sparkling) with no added flavourings or ingredients
23 Sugar free drinks 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[2]

Excludes drinks based on tea or coffee extracts.
COMPOSITE PRODUCTS
24 Pasta sauces Only tomato or vegetable based sauces containing no more than 0.93g salt or 370mg sodium per 100g
25 Ready meals and takeaway dishes Only products that code green or amber with respect to Front of Pack labelling criteria - see Annex D
26 Vegetable based soup 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
27 Prepared salad dishes with a carbohydrate base e.g. potatoes, pasta, rice or couscous Only products that code green or amber with respect to Front of Pack labelling criteria - see Annex D
28 Sandwiches, wraps, filled rolls. baguettes. Only products that meet the following criteria:

contains salad/vegetables

no more than 400 kcals per serving/ pack

no more than 1.5g salt or 600mg sodium per 100g per serving/pack

Note on "Plain"

The definition of 'plain' as applied to these products in Annex B excludes all additions to products, such as cheese or olives to bread, oil to rice or noodles and syrup to tinned fruit. However, 'ready to heat' plain versions of products could be included, e.g. microwaveable rice or straight-to-wok noodles, as well as ready prepared items such as pre-chopped plain fruit and vegetables.

Meal deals

Guidance on Healthier Meal Deals

The following guidelines are set with the aim of rebalancing meal deals, especially where customers include school-age children and young people. Meal deals available for breakfast, lunch and/ or dinner should all be considered

Guiding Principles:

  • Meals should be based around starchy carbohydrates such as bread, potatoes, rice and pasta
  • Meals should contain a portion fruit and / or vegetables
  • Items included should not be high in fats, salt or sugars

Combination:

Examples of foods to include:

Note: All items included should meet the criteria set in Table 1

  • Sandwich (Table 1, category 28)
  • Prepared salad dish that includes starchy carbohydrate (Table 1, category 27)
  • Heated takeaway dish (Table 1, category 25)
  • Baked potato (Table 1, category 8
  • Vegetable based soup (Table 1, category 26)
  • Yogurt (Table 1, categories 20, 21)
  • Portion of fruit or vegetables (Table 1 categories 1,2,3,4,5,6)
  • Drinks, if included, as detailed in Table 1 (including reduced fat milk). (Table 1, categories 19, 22 ,23)
  • Breakfast cereal ( Table 1, category 13)
  • Ready meal (Table 1, category 25)
  • Frozen vegetables (Table 1, category 4)
  • Whole grain bread ( Table 1, category 7)
  • Canned fruit ( Table 1, category 2)
  • Salmon (Table 1, category 14)
  • Potatoes (Table 1, category 8)

Table 2: Examples of 'meal deal' combinations for promotion

Main item Suggested combination
Sandwich Example 1
  • sandwich (Table 1, category 28)
  • portion of fresh fruit ( Table 1, category 1)
  • 200ml reduced fat milk (Table 1, category 19)
Salad dish Example 2
  • salad dish containing potatoes, rice, pasta or cous cous (Table 1, category 27)
  • 150g yogurt (Table 1, categories 20, 21)
  • bottled water (Table 1, category 22)
Soup and sandwich Example 3
  • vegetable soup (Table 1, category 26)
  • sandwich (Table 1, category 28)
Takeaway dish or ready meal Example 4
  • takeaway dish (Table 1, category 25)
  • apple (Table 1, category 1)
Breakfast Example 5
  • breakfast cereal (Table 1, category 13)
  • reduced fat milk (Table 1, category 19)
  • portion of fresh fruit (Table 1, category 1)
Evening meal (for home consumption) Example 6
  • ready meal (Table 1, category 25)
  • frozen vegetables (Table 1, category, 4)
  • whole grain bread (Table 1, category 7)
  • canned fruit (Table 1, category 2)
Evening meal (for home consumption) Example 7
  • salmon filet (Table 1, category 14)
  • new potatoes (Table 1, category 8)
  • fresh vegetables (Table 1, category 1)
  • fresh fruit salad (Table 1 category 1)

Contact

Email: Peter Faassen de Heer

Back to top