0:00:00 > 0:00:02Food - it's big business.
0:00:02 > 0:00:07Now, each year, we spend something like £5,000 per household on food and drink.
0:00:07 > 0:00:10So the competition for your pound is tough.
0:00:10 > 0:00:16We'll leave no shelf untouched in our quest to champion you, the weekly shopper.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20This is a series in which we'll be exposing the hidden rip offs
0:00:20 > 0:00:23and letting you in on the tricks of the food trade.
0:00:23 > 0:00:28And, most importantly, we'll show you how to be a smart shopper.
0:00:28 > 0:00:30Welcome to Rip Off Food!
0:00:44 > 0:00:47'Today, we're cracking the labelling code.'
0:00:47 > 0:00:49That is really... How can they do that?
0:00:49 > 0:00:52'We'll show you the tricks that supermarkets use
0:00:52 > 0:00:54'to get their products into your basket.
0:00:54 > 0:00:58'We'll make you think twice before you buy that summer treat.'
0:00:58 > 0:01:01You tend to think of ice cream as being a really luxury product,
0:01:01 > 0:01:03whereas this looks singularly unappetising.
0:01:03 > 0:01:07'And find out why a prize-winning pasty-maker is unhappy
0:01:07 > 0:01:12'with a new logo that claims to protect heritage foods.'
0:01:12 > 0:01:16You know, these days, clued-up shoppers have to be label literate.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19Because it's an elementary fact that manufacturers use
0:01:19 > 0:01:23very clever packaging to pull us in to start spending money.
0:01:23 > 0:01:25And I hope to show you today
0:01:25 > 0:01:29how that plays around with your senses and confuses the mind.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32You never know, after this, you might never look
0:01:32 > 0:01:35at a supermarket shelf in the same way ever again.
0:01:35 > 0:01:39From time to time, the Government comes up with an initiative
0:01:39 > 0:01:43to make it easier to avoid the things that are bad for us.
0:01:43 > 0:01:45For example, the smoking ban.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48But in the case of food labelling, the follow-through isn't quite
0:01:48 > 0:01:52so prescriptive and the results aren't as effective.
0:01:55 > 0:01:59The five-a-day campaign has been around for almost a decade.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03It's a phrase that's been drilled into the nation's psyche.
0:02:05 > 0:02:10You know, there are so many ways we can be manipulated by marketing.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13And in these health-conscious times, a food that claims to be
0:02:13 > 0:02:16one of our five a day is obviously very attractive.
0:02:16 > 0:02:17But are we kidding ourselves
0:02:17 > 0:02:20when we pick up a tasty looking meal, believing that
0:02:20 > 0:02:25the five-a-day label allows us to stay healthy while we eat it?
0:02:26 > 0:02:28There's an official five-a-day logo
0:02:28 > 0:02:32that can only be awarded by the Department of Health.
0:02:32 > 0:02:36To qualify, a food product should contain at least one portion
0:02:36 > 0:02:40of fruit or veg and no added salt, sugar or fat.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42Although 300 companies have signed up,
0:02:42 > 0:02:46it's so rarely seen that you may not even recognise it.
0:02:46 > 0:02:48- Five a day, did you say?- Yeah.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52I don't recognise the logo but I recognise, of course,
0:02:52 > 0:02:54the phrase "five a day".
0:02:54 > 0:02:56It looks like, perhaps, a new logo.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59I think I've seen the expression rather than the logo, actually.
0:02:59 > 0:03:03If it was without the writing, the words,
0:03:03 > 0:03:05- I wouldn't know it was five a day. - Yeah.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08The five-a-day campaign is based on the idea
0:03:08 > 0:03:12that 400g of fruit and veg a day can protect against diseases
0:03:12 > 0:03:16like cancers, heart diseases, type-two diabetes and others.
0:03:17 > 0:03:23So the maths is, five portions of 80g each a day - minimum.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27Dietician Emer Delany thinks the message is simple.
0:03:27 > 0:03:32The majority of the fruit and veg qualify as one of your five a day,
0:03:32 > 0:03:33as long as it's an 80g portion,
0:03:33 > 0:03:37which equates to an apple, an orange, some small fruits
0:03:37 > 0:03:40or any berries that'll fit into the palm of your hand.
0:03:40 > 0:03:42The exception to this would be potatoes,
0:03:42 > 0:03:45which are considered a starchy carbohydrate.
0:03:46 > 0:03:51So if you eat 80g of fresh fruit or veg, you know that you're getting
0:03:51 > 0:03:53one of your five a day.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56But more recently, the slogan has been hijacked by food manufacturers
0:03:56 > 0:03:58making processed foods.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01Some are using the phrase to highlight the best parts
0:04:01 > 0:04:04of their products, to distract us from ingredients
0:04:04 > 0:04:09that might be less good for us - like sugar, salt or fat.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13There are a huge amount of products that use the five-a-day messaging.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16For example, the ready meals, microwave meals
0:04:16 > 0:04:18and some snacks here at the front.
0:04:18 > 0:04:20A lot of the products in front of us here
0:04:20 > 0:04:23have got high levels of fat, sugar and salt.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26So it's quite confusing for consumers
0:04:26 > 0:04:28because they also see the five-a-day messaging on them.
0:04:28 > 0:04:32So let's start with a tasty looking ready meal.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35It's labelled as one of your five a day.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37So in this product here, you are getting some fruit and veg -
0:04:37 > 0:04:43so a pepper, some onion and some peas, which make up 80g.
0:04:43 > 0:04:45This product also provides you with almost 3g of salt,
0:04:45 > 0:04:49which is half the amount of salt you're meant to have in one day.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51When you sprinkle that amount of salt on the veg,
0:04:51 > 0:04:54it's not so appetising.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57This is a lot of salt to have in one meal
0:04:57 > 0:05:01and, again, if you were to serve these vegetables to someone covered in salt, they wouldn't eat it.
0:05:01 > 0:05:03Now we know potatoes don't count,
0:05:03 > 0:05:07so how do fish and chips get a five-a-day slogan?
0:05:07 > 0:05:10So, with this dish we're clearly not getting the five a day
0:05:10 > 0:05:15from the fish or the chips. So it's obviously coming from the peas.
0:05:15 > 0:05:20Here's one of your five a day, which comes with 22g of fat.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23So this is almost a third of the recommended amount of fat
0:05:23 > 0:05:24to have in a day.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27And this is bad because some fats are bad for your heart,
0:05:27 > 0:05:31such as saturated fat, and they're not very good if you're trying to lose weight.
0:05:31 > 0:05:36So we decided to make our own "one of your five a day" puddings
0:05:36 > 0:05:40that's got the necessary 80g of strawberries per portion.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43But it's got a whole load of custard and cream, as well. Yum!
0:05:45 > 0:05:48But if manufacturers can legally label this
0:05:48 > 0:05:50with the five-a-day slogan promoted by the Government,
0:05:50 > 0:05:53doesn't it undermine the whole idea?
0:05:55 > 0:05:58Now, when you've got a question, I believe it's always best to go right to the top.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01So I'm taking our five-a-day pudding to Westminster
0:06:01 > 0:06:05for a meeting with Anne Milton, who's the Junior Minister for Health.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08I think she needs face up to the five-a-day farce.
0:06:10 > 0:06:14- Oh, my goodness! - A rather delicious looking trifle.
0:06:14 > 0:06:16OK.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19Imagine if you look at this in terms of health and strength.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22That, in particular - I dare say you wouldn't have brought it along
0:06:22 > 0:06:25unless it was loaded with fat.
0:06:25 > 0:06:29- It's a good home-made trifle, which a lot of people indulge in.- Is it?
0:06:29 > 0:06:32OK, so it's got 80g of strawberries per person,
0:06:32 > 0:06:34so that would be my one a day.
0:06:34 > 0:06:40But it also has, per person, 59g of sugar per helping.
0:06:40 > 0:06:44And - this is horrific I think - it's got 79.4g of fat.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50That's phenomenal, actually, and so, of course, we wouldn't give it
0:06:50 > 0:06:55our logo because it's got added sugar and fat, to start off with.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58And you're right. You say of course, you, the Government,
0:06:58 > 0:07:01you wouldn't give that your logo.
0:07:01 > 0:07:05But the problem is, it's been hijacked under the five-a-day tag.
0:07:05 > 0:07:07Because so many people are using it now.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10How much does it bother you the fact that it has been hijacked?
0:07:10 > 0:07:13It does bother me but people play with words
0:07:13 > 0:07:15and you see it all the time.
0:07:15 > 0:07:19I think there is evidence that the tide has turned a little bit.
0:07:19 > 0:07:23Manufacturers do want to behave more responsibly.
0:07:23 > 0:07:27I think there's nobody who's not aware of the fact that,
0:07:27 > 0:07:30you know, 60% of the adult population is now overweight or obese.
0:07:30 > 0:07:32We have a problem.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35What we need to do is make sure that consumers have the information
0:07:35 > 0:07:39they need in which to demand from the manufacturers of food
0:07:39 > 0:07:43what they want in order to lead a healthier lifestyle.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46- But it's a confusing market out there at the moment.- It is.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49The consumers go along to the shop and they look for their logo.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52I just happen to have my pot of raisins with me.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55So here is the logo - er, the Government logo.
0:07:55 > 0:07:57I'm going to be absolutely honest -
0:07:57 > 0:08:01until today, honestly, I'm not aware of this logo at all.
0:08:01 > 0:08:05I don't mean to offend but I think it's rather insignificant looking.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08No, you're... It doesn't offend me at all.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10The logo's been in place since 2003.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13It's had a desired effect in as much as it raised awareness that people
0:08:13 > 0:08:16should eat their five a day.
0:08:16 > 0:08:20I think you're right that recognition of the logo isn't very high,
0:08:20 > 0:08:24and that leaves us in danger of the logo being hijacked.
0:08:24 > 0:08:28What do you think needs to be done about making the logo more recognisable to the public
0:08:28 > 0:08:31and maybe get more companies to sign up to it?
0:08:31 > 0:08:35Well, there's a consultation going on separate to this logo
0:08:35 > 0:08:38about information on the front of packets of food.
0:08:38 > 0:08:42That's open - anybody can contribute and it would be, you know,
0:08:42 > 0:08:46an important opportunity to say that if any of your watchers today
0:08:46 > 0:08:48are interested, then we'd love to have their views
0:08:48 > 0:08:51about what would make a difference to them,
0:08:51 > 0:08:54to help them to make more informed choices about what they buy.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57Go to the Department of Health website to do that.
0:08:57 > 0:08:59I would suggest maybe a more prominent logo.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01Well, a more prominent logo
0:09:01 > 0:09:04and what you put on the front of a packet is going to be important.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06It can be quite a crowded space these days.
0:09:06 > 0:09:11We would like much more upfront information to make sure that
0:09:11 > 0:09:15consumers have the information they need, on which to base their choices.
0:09:15 > 0:09:20We asked the Food And Drink Federation if they agreed
0:09:20 > 0:09:23that food manufacturers are misusing the phrase.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26They said that, "Currently, there is no Government advice
0:09:26 > 0:09:29"on how to use a five-a-day label on composite products
0:09:29 > 0:09:33"and the Institute of Grocery Distribution has developed
0:09:33 > 0:09:37"best practice guidance, which includes nutritional standards,
0:09:37 > 0:09:39"to guide retailers and manufacturers
0:09:39 > 0:09:42"who want to label their products responsibly."
0:09:47 > 0:09:49In a multi-million-pound market,
0:09:49 > 0:09:55food manufacturers and retailers are after your hard-earned cash.
0:09:55 > 0:09:57And they'll use all their marketing know-how to entice you
0:09:57 > 0:10:00into buying their goods, even going as far as
0:10:00 > 0:10:03inventing some of the places where their products come from.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11So what's happening these days is that supermarkets,
0:10:11 > 0:10:13in order to stay ahead of the competition,
0:10:13 > 0:10:16are personalising products to give them idyllic names -
0:10:16 > 0:10:21you know, conjuring up all those pictures of rural countryside and unique locations.
0:10:21 > 0:10:25It creates a sense of small-scale farming when, in actual fact,
0:10:25 > 0:10:30these products are mass-produced in many different locations.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34They come up with evocative titles for product ranges
0:10:34 > 0:10:40such as Ashfield Farm, used by Aldi, Elmwood, the Co-op,
0:10:40 > 0:10:43Willow Farm, a Tesco range of chickens,
0:10:43 > 0:10:47and Lochmuir salmon and Oakham chicken by M&S.
0:10:47 > 0:10:51Ashfield, Elmwood and Willow ARE named after a farm
0:10:51 > 0:10:54but not all the products in the range come from there.
0:10:54 > 0:10:58Lochmuir? We'll come to that in a second.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01And Oakham is a town but not a chicken farm.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04It's only when you look closer that you find out the truth,
0:11:04 > 0:11:07and there's nothing illegal about it.
0:11:08 > 0:11:12So the M&S range of Lochmuir salmon may be from Scotland
0:11:12 > 0:11:15but, on face value, it sounds like it comes from
0:11:15 > 0:11:18a specific and idyllic-sounding location.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20Let's see if the good people of Edinburgh are taken in
0:11:20 > 0:11:22by this mythical place.
0:11:24 > 0:11:26The name makes you assume that it's probably the Highlands,
0:11:26 > 0:11:29somewhere like that, somewhere near Inverness.
0:11:29 > 0:11:30West coast.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33The great glen on the west coast but I've not heard of that loch.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36You'd expect it's a loch somewhere. You know, the name of the loch,
0:11:36 > 0:11:38but I haven't heard of that.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40Lochmuir - never heard of it.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42Uh-oh, smells a bit fishy to me,
0:11:42 > 0:11:46and there's a reason why no-one has ever heard of it.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49Lochmuir is a trademark for Marks & Spencer.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53It is a brand that exists for them to promote their farmed salmon.
0:11:53 > 0:11:58There's no such place as Lochmuir - that means "lake of the sea" -
0:11:58 > 0:12:03which is where... It's water near the sea. It's only as it's arbitrary as that.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05It doesn't actually exist as a place.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08And the problem for me is that a shopper could go into that store
0:12:08 > 0:12:11and pick that up and think it's from a place that exists, and it doesn't.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14To sell products, they'll do anything.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16I wouldn't expect them to mislead, no.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19If you saw something with "loch" in Scotland, you'd think it was a place.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22I thought Marks & Spencer were better.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26So Lochmuir doesn't exist -
0:12:26 > 0:12:30it's just a place dreamt up by the M&S marketing team.
0:12:30 > 0:12:31But it's not only M&S.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35To add an air of quality to one of their range of chicken products,
0:12:35 > 0:12:38Tesco have called it Willow Farm chicken.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41That is really... How can they do that?
0:12:41 > 0:12:47They shouldn't be allowed to state that it's a Willow Farm product,
0:12:47 > 0:12:50if it doesn't come from a farm called Willow Farm.
0:12:50 > 0:12:54- I would buy that over the cheap one cos it says Willow Farm. - I would, too.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57It doesn't say "free range" or "roaming free", but it does say,
0:12:57 > 0:13:01"Willow Farm chickens live in a spacious windowed..." Ooh, barns.
0:13:01 > 0:13:02Ooh.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05Marketing is all about finding an identity to buy
0:13:05 > 0:13:07and belong to something.
0:13:07 > 0:13:11Most of us go only to a few places to buy our food,
0:13:11 > 0:13:14and they have to find ways to look different.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16And one of the ways to look different is to look small
0:13:16 > 0:13:19and pretend our food is from a specific place.
0:13:19 > 0:13:23There's nothing illegal about describing your product
0:13:23 > 0:13:25with a particular marketing term,
0:13:25 > 0:13:29but I believe it's misleading if it doesn't exist as a place.
0:13:29 > 0:13:33So how carefully, then, do you have to study a label to make sure
0:13:33 > 0:13:37that what you buy is what it actually says on the label?
0:13:37 > 0:13:40Well, one thing you can do is to look for a trademark sign.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43And if you see this, it's a good indication
0:13:43 > 0:13:45that the name could be made up.
0:13:45 > 0:13:51Of course, many supermarkets are employing these tricks of the trade.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54When we asked M&S, Tesco, Aldi and the Co-op
0:13:54 > 0:13:57why they were making up names for their products,
0:13:57 > 0:13:58this is what they told us.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00M&S responded,
0:14:00 > 0:14:04"Lochmuir is a collective way of representing a number of farms
0:14:04 > 0:14:09"and was chosen to recognise the Scottish provenance of the fish.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12"Oakham chicken was created for a high-welfare-standard range
0:14:12 > 0:14:15"of chickens from specially selected farms around the UK."
0:14:15 > 0:14:18Tesco said, "All the chickens are British
0:14:18 > 0:14:24"and come from a number of farms, one of which is called Willow Farm."
0:14:24 > 0:14:27Aldi said, "Ashfield Farm is a brand name
0:14:27 > 0:14:31"and does not mean that they source the meat from one farm."
0:14:31 > 0:14:35They added that the meat in the range is 100% British.
0:14:35 > 0:14:40The Co-op said, "Elmwood chickens are reared in 200 farms in the UK.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43"Elmwood was the name of a farm, back in 2007."
0:14:46 > 0:14:50So who, then, are these masters of illusion
0:14:50 > 0:14:53who create the packing that lures us all in?
0:14:53 > 0:14:56There aren't many brand designers who will stand up and be counted
0:14:56 > 0:15:00when it comes to revealing the tricks of the trade, but I've managed to find one.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02Gary, good morning. How are you?
0:15:02 > 0:15:03Good morning.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06'Gary Marshall is a leading brand designer
0:15:06 > 0:15:09'with over a decade of experience under his belt.'
0:15:09 > 0:15:12We've been actually, on the programme, doing some research
0:15:12 > 0:15:16and looking at labels and things, and, for example, we have here
0:15:16 > 0:15:20Lochmuir Salmon. Now, as I understand it, Lochmuir doesn't even exist.
0:15:20 > 0:15:21That's correct, yes.
0:15:21 > 0:15:25Really, what these companies are trying to do is to create a story.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28So therefore, you know, if you've got places that sound real,
0:15:28 > 0:15:31- you can imagine what this fish is going to be like. - So, in this case, what?
0:15:31 > 0:15:35You're trying to do imply this lovely Scottish, outdoor, healthy kind of...
0:15:35 > 0:15:38Correct, yes, it's a good, healthy food,
0:15:38 > 0:15:43you know, that's had a good life, because people are emotional
0:15:43 > 0:15:47so therefore when they see this, the image they've got in their mind can be a bit more detailed,
0:15:47 > 0:15:50and a bit more detail makes it a bit more real.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53If you just say it's generic, it could be anything.
0:15:53 > 0:15:55Sometimes facts tell, emotions sell.
0:15:55 > 0:15:56So on a general level,
0:15:56 > 0:15:59how do you go about making up names or deciding on names?
0:15:59 > 0:16:04Well, for us, if we're working with a new company, we would sit down with them and discuss ideas,
0:16:04 > 0:16:07understand what their values are, what they are trying to achieve.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09Just bounce names around, make some names up and you just...
0:16:09 > 0:16:13A word just comes to mind and you start to play with that.
0:16:13 > 0:16:15Sometimes you know you've only got five seconds
0:16:15 > 0:16:18when you're on that shelf, standing there comparing two products,
0:16:18 > 0:16:22it will go down to, "Quickly in my mind, that one sounds nicer."
0:16:22 > 0:16:26OK, so this one is Willow Farm chicken breast fillets.
0:16:26 > 0:16:29If you have an idea of what that place is,
0:16:29 > 0:16:31then you've made that image yourself.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34It's a nice countryside, open fields,
0:16:34 > 0:16:36so you're going to imagine your chickens
0:16:36 > 0:16:39running around in nice sunny country fields, being corn fed.
0:16:39 > 0:16:41- You've just planted in my mind. - I'm just planting it.
0:16:41 > 0:16:45I've brought a little present along for Gary.
0:16:45 > 0:16:46I want him to show me how
0:16:46 > 0:16:49this seemingly mundane string of sausages could be transformed
0:16:49 > 0:16:52into something that would stand out on a supermarket shelf.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58He's created a selection of labels just for my sausages,
0:16:58 > 0:17:02but be warned - you won't find any of these in the shops.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04As the designer, what do you feel is drawing me
0:17:04 > 0:17:06to this design for example?
0:17:06 > 0:17:09This one is very much using the dark colours of black -
0:17:09 > 0:17:12black is a bit more premium elegance
0:17:12 > 0:17:16so you would expect a nice rich-flavour sausage on this one.
0:17:16 > 0:17:18And you used the word "premium", of course.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21Yes, I mean, again, you know, as we all know in marketing,
0:17:21 > 0:17:23we can all use these words - "premium", "prime cuts" -
0:17:23 > 0:17:27to bring out that sort of more... Probably a better range of sausage.
0:17:27 > 0:17:31And, of course, you've out the various stamps of approval.
0:17:31 > 0:17:32Yeah, if you notice here,
0:17:32 > 0:17:35we've sort of got the pig looking down towards this
0:17:35 > 0:17:39to emphasise the UK quality pork, which is important to consumers.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43Now, the logos here for Red Tractor Pork, Freedom Foods
0:17:43 > 0:17:46and the Soil Association are all genuine accredited schemes.
0:17:46 > 0:17:51they can only be used if the product is certified by those organisations.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53But what about the pretty pictures?
0:17:53 > 0:17:56Again, this one was using imagery.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59The pigs here have clearly got a lot of space.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01Very nice light, earthy colours.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03Now, I noticed that you called them Lincolnshire sausages,
0:18:03 > 0:18:06even though they may not necessarily be made in Lincolnshire.
0:18:06 > 0:18:08If I fancy the name, I can still use it?
0:18:08 > 0:18:11Only if it's made in the recipe way of Lincolnshire.
0:18:11 > 0:18:15If you're not doing the flavouring as a Lincolnshire sausage
0:18:15 > 0:18:19and it's not coming from Lincolnshire, then you wouldn't be able to do it.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21Hence the reason why you would probably make up a place name,
0:18:21 > 0:18:25as some people have, and put it on there.
0:18:25 > 0:18:26If you look at an illustration,
0:18:26 > 0:18:29there's nothing there saying how the pigs have been brought up.
0:18:29 > 0:18:34- You've used "home-made" very strongly there haven't you? - Yeah, again, it's more personal.
0:18:34 > 0:18:39Food Standards Agency guidance says that the term "home-made" should be used
0:18:39 > 0:18:43when preparation reflects a typical domestic situation.
0:18:43 > 0:18:49Looking at things like the fonts, that can add emotion, through the different style of font you're using.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52Things like sizes - you've only got a second when the consumer first sees it,
0:18:52 > 0:18:54so again, make it very clear what it is.
0:18:54 > 0:18:59The secondary text, as we would call it, is more a description.
0:18:59 > 0:19:03I mean, for this one, we've just put, "Traditionally made sausages using only the finest prime cuts,
0:19:03 > 0:19:08"mixed with our unique blend of seasoning in natural casings."
0:19:08 > 0:19:11- You'd get away with that, no matter what the quality of the sausage? - Yes, probably.
0:19:11 > 0:19:15You know, some people would tell you there's an artistic licence in some things.
0:19:15 > 0:19:19I think there's a lot of artistic licence, to be honest.
0:19:19 > 0:19:20It's fascinating, though.
0:19:20 > 0:19:24So my advice is, finally, don't be lured or led astray
0:19:24 > 0:19:28by the rustic and rural-sounding names on the packages.
0:19:28 > 0:19:29Always read the small print,
0:19:29 > 0:19:32find out exactly where the product comes from
0:19:32 > 0:19:37and if there's no information, then the best advice is to ask the retailer.
0:19:37 > 0:19:41So beware of packages bearing idyllic scenes -
0:19:41 > 0:19:45they might not be quite what you imagined.
0:19:46 > 0:19:50However, other foods, like Cornish pasties, appear to be stamped
0:19:50 > 0:19:54with a badge of honour to prove that they ARE the real deal.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57Now, the question is, just how genuine are some Cornish pasties?
0:20:01 > 0:20:05Just when you're feeling overwhelmed by the amount of information
0:20:05 > 0:20:10on a food label, a couple of new ones come along to bamboozle you.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13Take the latest addition - these PDOs and PGIs.
0:20:13 > 0:20:17Now, does anyone understand what they mean?
0:20:18 > 0:20:21I have no idea on that one.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24Never, ever seen the yellow symbol before.
0:20:24 > 0:20:28- I don't know what that means. - I'm not familiar with that myself. Are you?
0:20:29 > 0:20:34I guess it means where it's produced is maybe environmentally friendly...
0:20:34 > 0:20:36Now, I'll let you into a trade secret -
0:20:36 > 0:20:40a PGI is a protected geographical indication
0:20:40 > 0:20:44and a PDO is protected designation of origin.
0:20:44 > 0:20:49Are you any the wiser? Well, 48 British foods can wear the logos with pride.
0:20:49 > 0:20:54Now, these PGIs and PDOs are the labels that put
0:20:54 > 0:20:59the Cornish in the pasty and the Jersey in Jersey Royals.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02They were dreamt up by the bureaucrats in Brussels
0:21:02 > 0:21:06with the idea of protecting heritage food right across Europe.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09They're to stop champagne growers in France, for example,
0:21:09 > 0:21:14being undercut by cheap fizz imports, and now the scheme has been extended -
0:21:14 > 0:21:18everything from bangers and beer to those Cornish pasties.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23To be a PDO, the food has to be produced
0:21:23 > 0:21:26and processed in a particular area.
0:21:26 > 0:21:30But to get a PGI, the food simply has to be assembled there.
0:21:30 > 0:21:34And that's the rub. Because while it should be a badge of authenticity and quality,
0:21:34 > 0:21:39some feel it favours big business over the skill of the artisan food maker.
0:21:40 > 0:21:45Simon Bryon-Edmond makes traditional Cornish pasties -
0:21:45 > 0:21:49but since the introduction of the PGI, he can't market them as such because he's based in Devon.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55In 2009, we won best pasty in the country,
0:21:55 > 0:21:59and we were then banned in 2010 because we weren't from Cornwall,
0:21:59 > 0:22:04and they felt you could only find the best pasty in the country if it came from Cornwall.
0:22:04 > 0:22:09Somebody rang me up and said, "What part of Devon is Cornwall?" from the awards.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14Today, Simon is simply out to prove a point.
0:22:14 > 0:22:19He's going to show us why a PGI might not be all that it's cracked up to be.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26The border of Devon and Cornwall runs through
0:22:26 > 0:22:28the centre of this bridge over the River Tamar.
0:22:30 > 0:22:34To the left lies Cornwall, and to the right is Devon,
0:22:34 > 0:22:38and stuck in the middle of the two counties is Simon.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42He'll be making two pasties - one on either side of the border.
0:22:42 > 0:22:44But only one of them has the right
0:22:44 > 0:22:48to be called a Cornish pasty under PGI guidelines.
0:22:49 > 0:22:53So let's see what's going into the pasty on the Cornish side.
0:22:53 > 0:22:57Well, we've got some nice Israeli potatoes here.
0:22:57 > 0:22:59We've got a little swede here that's come from
0:22:59 > 0:23:01somewhere in the Eastern Bloc,
0:23:01 > 0:23:04a little Chilean onion and we've got a bit of British beef,
0:23:04 > 0:23:07but this could have come from anywhere - Argentina or Brazil.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10And in the other one, on the Devon side...
0:23:10 > 0:23:13So we've got a lovely bit of beef skirt all the way from Cornwall,
0:23:13 > 0:23:15some Cornish onion, a bit of lovely Cornish swede,
0:23:15 > 0:23:18and some potatoes that we got from Cornwall.
0:23:18 > 0:23:23Simon is preparing both pasties using a traditional recipe.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26The only difference is where the ingredients have come from.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28This is the designated way of making a pasty.
0:23:28 > 0:23:30You want to get the meat and the veg balance right.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32We don't want too much meat in there,
0:23:32 > 0:23:35we don't want too much veg. That looks about right.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37It's a bit of an eye job.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40Over it goes, make sure everything's tucked in.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43You can put all sorts of crimps on pasties.
0:23:43 > 0:23:47It could stay like that, but we're going to put on a little rope crimp. This will hold it together.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50It might contain foreign ingredients, but the fact
0:23:50 > 0:23:55that it's been assembled in Cornwall gives this pasty protected Cornish status.
0:23:55 > 0:24:00Because I'm six inches over the Cornish border, that is a Cornish pasty.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03But what about the pasty that Simon has been assembling
0:24:03 > 0:24:08on the Devon side of the bridge, using 100% Cornish ingredients?
0:24:08 > 0:24:13So here we have a classic, iconic side-crimped pasty,
0:24:13 > 0:24:15made in the classic Cornish style.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18But because I'm six inches into Devon,
0:24:18 > 0:24:22this cannot be called a Cornish pasty. This, in fact, is a pasty.
0:24:22 > 0:24:27OK, Simon, I agree - point made. And it does seem harsh.
0:24:28 > 0:24:32This borderline dictates what we can call a product,
0:24:32 > 0:24:35despite the quality and where the ingredients come from.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40- Good day, sir. All right?- Simon is off to the pub for a taste test.
0:24:40 > 0:24:45First, he gives an official Cornish pasty to one of the locals.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48- A good bite.- Here we go.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51Then he gets them to try one of his Devon pasties.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53- That's very good.- OK.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56He prefers the Devon one.
0:24:56 > 0:25:00- I would say that's the best pasty. - Why would that be?
0:25:00 > 0:25:02I don't know. It just tastes like a pasty.
0:25:02 > 0:25:06So, his Devon pasties, made with Cornish ingredients,
0:25:06 > 0:25:08seem to have won the day.
0:25:08 > 0:25:10I prefer the taste of that one.
0:25:12 > 0:25:16Simon can pat himself on the back for his great baking,
0:25:16 > 0:25:20but he'll never make a PGI grade whilst his business is in Devon.
0:25:23 > 0:25:27The actual designated product has a slightly lower specification
0:25:27 > 0:25:31than I believe an iconic pasty should have.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33A pasty should have high meat content,
0:25:33 > 0:25:36it should be made with good provenance local ingredients.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39That's what a good pasty should be about.
0:25:39 > 0:25:42Unfortunately, the bar has been set a little bit low for the PGI,
0:25:42 > 0:25:48whereby you don't have to buy within a region. You don't HAVE to buy within a region.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51I'm not suggesting some companies don't, but you don't have to.
0:25:51 > 0:25:56We asked DEFRA to comment. They say that it's the applicant who chooses
0:25:56 > 0:25:59whether to apply for a PDO or a PDI.
0:25:59 > 0:26:03They asked us to contact the Cornish Pasty Association
0:26:03 > 0:26:05for clarification and they said,
0:26:05 > 0:26:10"PGI and PDO classifications are related specifically
0:26:10 > 0:26:13"to authenticity and origin of the product.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16"As those features can themselves be an indication of quality,
0:26:16 > 0:26:22"it's not the case that the classifications are not a guarantee of quality.
0:26:22 > 0:26:26"The purpose of the law is to protect the reputation of regional foods,
0:26:26 > 0:26:29"promote rural and agricultural activity,
0:26:29 > 0:26:33"help producers obtain a premium price for their authentic products,
0:26:33 > 0:26:39"and eliminate unfair competition or misleading consumers by non-genuine products."
0:26:40 > 0:26:44So a PDO logo should be a dead give-away for what you're getting,
0:26:44 > 0:26:49like on this Cornish cream. It does show that it comes from Cornwall.
0:26:49 > 0:26:53But how about another Great British staple, chicken soup?
0:26:53 > 0:26:57You'd expect it to have chicken meat in it, otherwise they couldn't call it chicken soup, could they?
0:26:57 > 0:27:00But some soups have more chicken in them than others,
0:27:00 > 0:27:04so what are the regulations on how much - or, indeed, how little - they can contain?
0:27:11 > 0:27:14Now, we're not talking clear chicken broth.
0:27:14 > 0:27:18We looked at a sample of 20 soups to see which one came top of the pecking order
0:27:18 > 0:27:21when it came to actual chicken content.
0:27:21 > 0:27:26We were shocked to find out how much - or, indeed, how little - meat they actually contained.
0:27:27 > 0:27:32Even the top ones in our sample only contained 8%.
0:27:32 > 0:27:34But at the other end of the scale,
0:27:34 > 0:27:38the worst offender had a chicken content of just 0.5%.
0:27:40 > 0:27:44Now, I don't know about you, but to me, shopping should be simple
0:27:44 > 0:27:48and when you pick up a product, it should be absolutely clear
0:27:48 > 0:27:51what you're buying simply by looking at the label.
0:27:51 > 0:27:55We found many examples where there's a scant amount
0:27:55 > 0:27:59of the ingredients you might expect to eat when you glance at the name of the product.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02For example, this is supposed to be a wild mushroom soup,
0:28:02 > 0:28:07but when you analyse the label, it's only 1% of wild mushrooms in that one.
0:28:07 > 0:28:10Let's have look at this one. This is guacamole-style topping.
0:28:10 > 0:28:16When you check the label on this one, it only has 3% avocado in it,
0:28:16 > 0:28:18so it surely is a "style".
0:28:18 > 0:28:22And this, probably, is the worst example I have in my current basket,
0:28:22 > 0:28:27because it's chicken and mushroom, a pasta sauce with chicken and mushroom, but when you check it,
0:28:27 > 0:28:31there's only 1% mushroom and no chicken whatsoever -
0:28:31 > 0:28:33it's just chicken flavour.
0:28:34 > 0:28:38That word "flavour" is a classic on packets. Under the regulations,
0:28:38 > 0:28:44a chicken FLAVOUR soup does not have to contain any trace of real chicken in it whatsoever.
0:28:44 > 0:28:49But if you stick an E and D on the end of "flavour",
0:28:49 > 0:28:53to make it "flavoured", then that changes the meaning completely.
0:28:53 > 0:28:58If something's referred to as "flavoured" then it's derived from the real thing.
0:28:58 > 0:29:00Still not terribly reassuring, is it?
0:29:02 > 0:29:05The use of the word "flavour" is really used by manufacturers
0:29:05 > 0:29:09to indicate that there isn't, generally speaking,
0:29:09 > 0:29:11the product in there. So for instance,
0:29:11 > 0:29:14beef flavour crisps don't necessarily have beef in them.
0:29:14 > 0:29:18Now, we want to find out if people generally are aware
0:29:18 > 0:29:22of how little chicken meat manufacturers get away with putting in your soup.
0:29:22 > 0:29:27So we're off to an East End market in London to carry out a little experiment.
0:29:29 > 0:29:31Our researchers set up a stall
0:29:31 > 0:29:34and laid out these three plates of chicken.
0:29:34 > 0:29:36Which would people expect to find
0:29:36 > 0:29:39in an average-sized can of chicken soup? Would it be 100g,
0:29:39 > 0:29:4350g or just 10g?
0:29:44 > 0:29:45I think about that much.
0:29:45 > 0:29:48That would be too much. That's not enough.
0:29:48 > 0:29:50I'd say the one in the middle.
0:29:50 > 0:29:52I'd like that amount in it.
0:29:52 > 0:29:55For a soup, I would point to this.
0:29:55 > 0:29:57Well, they're way off the mark, I'm afraid.
0:29:57 > 0:30:03Even the smallest of our portions is 15 times bigger than the worst offender in our survey.
0:30:03 > 0:30:07It's a big con, really, isn't it? It's just a total big con.
0:30:07 > 0:30:10- That's terrible.- That's shocking. - I'm never going to eat chicken soup again.
0:30:10 > 0:30:14They cut it down into so small parts that it's more like a paste now.
0:30:14 > 0:30:16There never seems to be any chicken in a chicken noodle soup.
0:30:16 > 0:30:19- Yeah, it's just made up of more...- Water.- Yeah.
0:30:19 > 0:30:23- Make your own. That's the answer. - "Make your own!"
0:30:23 > 0:30:28So just how little meat could a manufacturer add and still call it chicken soup?
0:30:28 > 0:30:32We got in touch with DEFRA, which is the government department
0:30:32 > 0:30:35responsible for food policy and regulation,
0:30:35 > 0:30:39to find out the definitive answer, and they told us that there is...
0:30:39 > 0:30:43Wait for this - there's no minimum amount of the key ingredient.
0:30:43 > 0:30:46No amount whatsoever is specified in the regulations.
0:30:46 > 0:30:51So therefore, a chicken soup with just 0.00001% of chicken
0:30:51 > 0:30:55would actually still qualify as a chicken soup.
0:30:55 > 0:30:59I think you'll agree, absolutely unbelievable.
0:30:59 > 0:31:02And there's one important regulation everybody should know about.
0:31:02 > 0:31:06The ingredients listed on the back of a package are always
0:31:06 > 0:31:11in quantity order, starting with the most plentiful at the top,
0:31:11 > 0:31:16except for flavourings that don't add up to any more than 2%.
0:31:16 > 0:31:20So for instance, if you want plenty of cheese in your sauce or apple in your crumble,
0:31:20 > 0:31:25make sure that it's high up on the list. That way, you know exactly what you're buying.
0:31:29 > 0:31:34If the measly amounts of chicken in your soup has ruffled your feathers, then hold on to your hats.
0:31:34 > 0:31:37There are foods that don't contain ANY of the main ingredients
0:31:37 > 0:31:41they're commonly known for. Take ice cream, for instance.
0:31:41 > 0:31:44Some don't have so much as a dollop of cream in them.
0:31:50 > 0:31:56Now, when the sun comes out and the clothes come off, we all scream for ice cream.
0:31:56 > 0:31:59But if you go for the budget end, like a soft-scoop ice cream,
0:31:59 > 0:32:02you may not get quite what you expected.
0:32:05 > 0:32:08To demonstrate what I mean, I'm meeting our resident boffin,
0:32:08 > 0:32:11Peter Maynard, for a chemistry lesson.
0:32:11 > 0:32:13All right, you've caught me at it.
0:32:13 > 0:32:17This is one of my guilty pleasures, soft-scoop ice-cream.
0:32:17 > 0:32:19But actually, what a lot of us don't realise
0:32:19 > 0:32:23is that in this type of ice cream, there is no cream.
0:32:23 > 0:32:28So the question is, what is it that I'm about to put into my mouth? Fortunately, Peter's here with me.
0:32:28 > 0:32:31Actually, it's a bit of a disappointment to find out
0:32:31 > 0:32:35- that there's no cream in it at all. So, what is in it? - It's all on the label.
0:32:35 > 0:32:40In this case, the list is "partially reconstituted whey protein".
0:32:40 > 0:32:42- Well, there's your whey protein. - Yeah.
0:32:42 > 0:32:46- With sugar, of course. Glucose syrup, that's the same as sugar.- Yeah.
0:32:46 > 0:32:51Coconut oil, that's your vegetable oil, and then various emulsifiers.
0:32:51 > 0:32:56Flavouring. Usually in this case it would be vanilla flavouring,
0:32:56 > 0:32:59which might be natural, but might be artificial vanilla flavouring.
0:32:59 > 0:33:03So, from a commercial point of view, why is it all this stuff, then,
0:33:03 > 0:33:06and not more good stuff, if I can put it like that?
0:33:06 > 0:33:08It's the usual reason - it's money.
0:33:08 > 0:33:12All of these things put together are cheaper
0:33:12 > 0:33:18than a genuine ice cream made from both cream and from water than flavouring.
0:33:18 > 0:33:20Show me the procedure, then.
0:33:20 > 0:33:23Well, here we've got some ordinary water.
0:33:23 > 0:33:28If I add some vegetable oil to it, you'll see it's two layers to begin with.
0:33:28 > 0:33:30Give it a shake.
0:33:30 > 0:33:34And although it becomes an emulsion,
0:33:34 > 0:33:39it very soon breaks into a layer of oil on the top
0:33:39 > 0:33:41and a layer of water underneath.
0:33:41 > 0:33:44It is that old phrase, isn't it, that oil and water won't mix?
0:33:44 > 0:33:46Oil and water will not mix.
0:33:46 > 0:33:49However, if I add some whey protein, this will help them to mix.
0:33:51 > 0:33:52Really, all we're doing with this
0:33:52 > 0:33:54is just, like, making solids, isn't it.
0:33:54 > 0:33:56- Yep.- Eventually.
0:33:56 > 0:33:58And shake it up. This is quite different.
0:33:58 > 0:34:03Obviously, the oil is not separating nearly as much as it was before.
0:34:03 > 0:34:06And if I then add some of the thickeners and emulsifiers
0:34:06 > 0:34:10and stabilisers so that it becomes much more like ice cream.
0:34:10 > 0:34:14You know you tend to think of ice cream as being a really luxury product.
0:34:14 > 0:34:17- Of course.- Whereas this all looks singularly unappetising.
0:34:17 > 0:34:20There you've got a very stable emulsion.
0:34:20 > 0:34:22If I added a bit more of the thickeners,
0:34:22 > 0:34:24then it would become as thick as ice cream,
0:34:24 > 0:34:27especially once you've cooled it down in the freezer.
0:34:27 > 0:34:29So you would just add a bit of vanilla or other flavouring
0:34:29 > 0:34:31- to that and put it into the freezer? - Sure, yep.
0:34:31 > 0:34:34- And that's it, done? - Yep, afraid so.
0:34:34 > 0:34:38- Oh!- That's all you've got in your ice cream.- It is SO disappointing, I have to say!
0:34:38 > 0:34:42So all of this is within the law, it's all statutory?
0:34:42 > 0:34:44- Definitely is, yes. - Nothing against the law?- No, no.
0:34:44 > 0:34:48Well, I was so looking forward to this dish of ice cream,
0:34:48 > 0:34:51but do you know what? I'm going to feed it to you, Peter!
0:34:51 > 0:34:53THEY LAUGH
0:34:53 > 0:34:56I'm going to let you eat the product.
0:34:56 > 0:34:58- Does it taste OK?- No!
0:34:58 > 0:35:01- SHE GIGGLES - Thank you very much indeed!
0:35:01 > 0:35:06I certainly will never, ever eat ice cream in the same fashion again.
0:35:06 > 0:35:08By all means, eat the top-end brands,
0:35:08 > 0:35:12but the cheaper end of the market is all going to be artificial.
0:35:13 > 0:35:16And here's a final fact about soft-scoop ice cream.
0:35:16 > 0:35:19It's not sold by weight, it's sold by volume.
0:35:19 > 0:35:23And we can thank a certain Margaret Thatcher for that.
0:35:23 > 0:35:25Before she got into politics,
0:35:25 > 0:35:28she used her chemistry degree to develop a type of soft scoop,
0:35:28 > 0:35:34by whipping air into ice cream to make it go further.
0:35:34 > 0:35:38I love to see people enjoying themselves and I think these guys are really loving their ice cream.
0:35:38 > 0:35:42But I think it's appalling that the labelling regulations
0:35:42 > 0:35:44allow retailers to sell ice cream
0:35:44 > 0:35:47with not one drop of cream in it at all.
0:35:47 > 0:35:49Whatever will they whip up next?
0:35:49 > 0:35:52We asked DEFRA why they allowed this. They said,
0:35:52 > 0:35:57"EU regulations make a derogation or exception for certain products
0:35:57 > 0:35:59"where the name of a traditional food
0:35:59 > 0:36:04"such as CREAMED potato, CREAM crackers and BUTTER beans
0:36:04 > 0:36:07"describes a dairy characteristic,
0:36:07 > 0:36:10"even though there's no dairy product in it,
0:36:10 > 0:36:14"and ice cream is one of the names given such an exception."
0:36:17 > 0:36:20Now, the big problem with labels is the small print.
0:36:20 > 0:36:23And with so many labels on foods these days,
0:36:23 > 0:36:26how many of us can honestly say we look at them closely
0:36:26 > 0:36:28whilst we're out shopping?
0:36:28 > 0:36:30I do find some labels confusing.
0:36:30 > 0:36:33One of the problems is there is a lot of information,
0:36:33 > 0:36:35so you could spend all day walking around a supermarket
0:36:35 > 0:36:38trying to gauge the pros and cons of each item you pick off the shelf.
0:36:38 > 0:36:40You have to search through the packaging,
0:36:40 > 0:36:44round the packaging sometimes, to look at what the contents are.
0:36:44 > 0:36:45I sometimes look at the labels
0:36:45 > 0:36:47but I don't really pay much attention to what it says.
0:36:49 > 0:36:53A staggering 76% of the adult population
0:36:53 > 0:36:56wear glasses or contact lenses,
0:36:56 > 0:36:59and only 30% of them wear their glasses when they're out shopping.
0:36:59 > 0:37:01So no wonder food labelling gets overlooked.
0:37:03 > 0:37:05But even if you're paying attention,
0:37:05 > 0:37:07labels can be very misleading.
0:37:11 > 0:37:14Guideline daily amounts were introduced by the government
0:37:14 > 0:37:15over a decade ago,
0:37:15 > 0:37:19to give an idea of the amount of calories, fats, salt and sugars
0:37:19 > 0:37:22that an average person should consume in a day.
0:37:22 > 0:37:26Food manufacturers now list on packaging
0:37:26 > 0:37:29what percentage of your GDA a food contains.
0:37:29 > 0:37:31It's an initiative to help fight obesity.
0:37:31 > 0:37:34But, you know, the way the food manufacturers
0:37:34 > 0:37:36use these labels can actually be a bit confusing,
0:37:36 > 0:37:39and it gives the impression that the product
0:37:39 > 0:37:41is so much more healthy than it actually is.
0:37:41 > 0:37:43Take pizzas, for example.
0:37:43 > 0:37:47Some manufacturers say that a quarter slice is a portion.
0:37:47 > 0:37:50Other manufacturers say that the whole pizza is a single serving.
0:37:50 > 0:37:53And, clearly, there's a massive difference.
0:37:53 > 0:37:56Jenny Driscoll, of consumer champions "Which?"
0:37:56 > 0:38:00has been looking at the problem which is confusing consumers.
0:38:00 > 0:38:02What we've seen with pizzas
0:38:02 > 0:38:05is that some of the food manufacturers will actually say,
0:38:05 > 0:38:09"Right, we're going to assume you're just eating a slice."
0:38:09 > 0:38:11Others assume you're eating a whole pizza.
0:38:11 > 0:38:13Now the thing is, if they're just assuming
0:38:13 > 0:38:15that you're going to eat a slice,
0:38:15 > 0:38:18it means that they can actually say, "Right, OK, this is lower
0:38:18 > 0:38:21"in terms of the amount of salt and sugar and fat
0:38:21 > 0:38:24"that you should take in that particular day."
0:38:24 > 0:38:27A lot of us will eat more than a slice of pizza.
0:38:27 > 0:38:30What we want to see is uniform information.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33We don't want any opportunity for food manufacturers
0:38:33 > 0:38:37to be able to present the information in an unrealistic way.
0:38:40 > 0:38:42Someone with a very clear idea
0:38:42 > 0:38:45of what pizza portion should be is Graciana.
0:38:45 > 0:38:47His restaurant has been making pizzas
0:38:47 > 0:38:51for an appreciative clientele for over 40 years.
0:38:51 > 0:38:54One person receives a whole pizza.
0:38:54 > 0:38:5712 inch or 30cm in diameter,
0:38:57 > 0:39:01which coincides with the plates that we serve them in,
0:39:01 > 0:39:05which is the generally accepted standard
0:39:05 > 0:39:06whenever you go into a restaurant,
0:39:06 > 0:39:10and that's what a customer would expect from us.
0:39:10 > 0:39:14Er, can I get the Pizza Pescatore?
0:39:14 > 0:39:18- Could I have the Pizza Pollo, please? - Pizza Pollo.
0:39:18 > 0:39:21If I were to present a quarter of a pizza
0:39:21 > 0:39:23as a portion to one of my diners,
0:39:23 > 0:39:26I'm sure they would throw it back at me,
0:39:26 > 0:39:28because not only does it look wrong,
0:39:28 > 0:39:31they would ask me, "Where's the rest of it?"
0:39:33 > 0:39:36In a restaurant, you'd expect to get a whole pizza,
0:39:36 > 0:39:39but today, Graciana's going to carry out an experiment for us.
0:39:39 > 0:39:42He'll be serving up a quarter of a pizza to his customers,
0:39:42 > 0:39:45which some manufactures and supermarkets
0:39:45 > 0:39:46might present as a portion size.
0:39:48 > 0:39:51I'm not happy with that. That's not going to fill me up.
0:39:51 > 0:39:54But today, a quarter of a pizza is a portion.
0:39:54 > 0:39:57When I buy a pizza in the supermarket, I would eat the whole pizza.
0:39:57 > 0:39:59To me, that's the portion size.
0:39:59 > 0:40:02This is a light morning snack.
0:40:02 > 0:40:05Your main courses have arrived!
0:40:05 > 0:40:08- Oh, look, lovely! - Oh, wow, look at that!
0:40:08 > 0:40:10- Thank you.- Thank you.
0:40:10 > 0:40:12It's not enough, is it?
0:40:12 > 0:40:14Not for a whole meal.
0:40:14 > 0:40:17My five year-old kid wouldn't even think that was a portion.
0:40:20 > 0:40:24'When supermarkets represent a quarter or a half a pizza
0:40:24 > 0:40:28'as a the GDA for the product, I think that it's somewhat sly.'
0:40:28 > 0:40:33It would be far more honest for them to put the GDA for the whole pizza.
0:40:33 > 0:40:37Putting the GDA for only a quarter of a pizza, I feel, is deceiving,
0:40:37 > 0:40:38because I think most people would look at it
0:40:38 > 0:40:41and they will read the GDA values very quickly,
0:40:41 > 0:40:45and might not notice that it's only proportioning 25% for it.
0:40:48 > 0:40:52Portion sizes on all products need to be the same
0:40:52 > 0:40:55so that shoppers can instantly see the healthiest option on offer.
0:40:55 > 0:40:58And there's a labelling scheme designed to do just that,
0:40:58 > 0:41:03based on something we're all very familiar with - a road traffic light.
0:41:03 > 0:41:07So products containing a high proportion of your GDA will be red.
0:41:07 > 0:41:10The thing which is absolutely going to work
0:41:10 > 0:41:13is the same system across the board,
0:41:13 > 0:41:16and there's nothing better like the traffic light system.
0:41:16 > 0:41:19What could be better than seeing red, amber, green?
0:41:19 > 0:41:21What's high in salt, what's high in sugar,
0:41:21 > 0:41:24what's high in fat, per 100g.
0:41:24 > 0:41:27And if they're high, they'll be red,
0:41:27 > 0:41:28and if they're low, they'll be green.
0:41:28 > 0:41:30It's that straightforward.
0:41:30 > 0:41:33And that's what "Which?" thinks we need on the front of packs.
0:41:37 > 0:41:41The traffic-light labelling scheme is voluntary.
0:41:41 > 0:41:44In Autumn 2012, the main supermarkets
0:41:44 > 0:41:46announced their commitment
0:41:46 > 0:41:51to incorporate a consistent scheme into their labelling in the future.
0:41:51 > 0:41:53Some think it should be compulsory.
0:41:58 > 0:42:01What we do know is that shoppers do want it.
0:42:01 > 0:42:03And we do know that, in the future,
0:42:03 > 0:42:06obesity is going to be such a massive problem
0:42:06 > 0:42:08that we have to do something about it now.
0:42:08 > 0:42:13We asked the Food and Drink Federation for their comment.
0:42:13 > 0:42:15They said that GDAs are
0:42:15 > 0:42:19a powerful tool to help improve the food literacy of UK consumers.
0:42:19 > 0:42:22They told us that they achieved consistency
0:42:22 > 0:42:25through an industry style guide
0:42:25 > 0:42:27and that the government is currently consulting on
0:42:27 > 0:42:31additional forms of expression, including the use of colours.
0:42:33 > 0:42:37The reality is that food labelling is a nightmare.
0:42:37 > 0:42:40And the trick is never to take anything at face value.
0:42:40 > 0:42:45But hopefully now, when you're out and about doing your shopping,
0:42:45 > 0:42:47at least you'll know what to look out for
0:42:47 > 0:42:51to avoid some of those marketing traps set up by the retailers.
0:42:51 > 0:42:53Remember, all the information is on the pack.
0:42:53 > 0:42:56The trouble is, it's in very, very small writing.
0:42:56 > 0:43:00So watch out, or at least bring your glasses.
0:43:11 > 0:43:14Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd