The presence and accuracy of nutritional labelling of pre-packaged foods in Shanghai

Background and Objectives: The Chinese government officially enacted the Regulation on the Management of Food Nutrition Labelling in 2007 and the General Rules for Nutrition Labelling of Pre-packaged Foods in 2011. Our investigation examined the presence and accuracy of nutrition labelling of pre-packaged foods in Shanghai and provides baseline data for future studies. Methods and Study Design: Nutrition labels on pre-packaged foods were recorded by photograph, transcription, or purchase in four supermarkets in Shanghai. We compared the observed labelling rate with results from a survey conducted in 2008. To assess labelling accuracy, we sent randomly selected foods to an analytical laboratory to test food energy and nutrient content. Results: The overall labelling rate was 54.8%, representing a great improvement over the rate measured prior to implementation of the Regulation (35.4%). The labelling rate for energy content and core nutrients were all above 98%, whereas the rates for saturated fat, trans-fatty acids, and iron were 11.5%, 7.0%, and 10.7%, respectively. Pre-packaged foods manufactured by domestic Chinese companies were labelled less frequently (45.8%) than foods manufactured by companies from Taiwan/Hong Kong (67.0%) or overseas (65.7%). The accuracy of carbohydrate content on labels was as high as 100%, while the accuracy of protein and fat content were 94.4% and 96.0%, respectively. Conclusion: Pre-packaged food manufacturers and government agencies should collaborate to improve the management of nutrition labelling. Mandatory regulations may be the best way to ensure that nutrition labelling facilitates informed consumer decision-making.