![\"Customer](\"https:\/\/www.highspeedtraining.co.uk\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/healthwashing.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nHealthwashing terms are often those without legal definitions that food manufacturers can use at their own discretion and are usually based on health, nutrition or medicinal claims about the food. For example, stating that a food product is \u2018100% natural\u2019, \u2018reduced fat\u2019 or \u2018high in fibre\u2019. More examples of healthwashing labels are listed later in this article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the surface, healthwashing seems to be positive, as it helps consumers identify products that are better for them. However, on closer inspection, healthwashing is often a harmful practice.<\/strong> This is because these terms aren\u2019t always an accurate representation of the food product and can lead consumers to believe the product is something it isn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Manufacturers can also use healthwashing labels to \u2018hide\u2019 the unhealthy aspects of the food product in order to sell more. For example, many breakfast cereals are labelled as being \u2018100% wholegrain\u2019, \u2018low calorie\u2019 or \u2018a great source of vitamins\u2019 when, in actual fact, they are high in sugar, salt and artificial ingredients that do more harm than good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A similar practice to healthwashing is greenwashing<\/a>, whereby manufacturers use claims to suggest their products are better for the environment than they actually are. Sometimes, a food product may carry labels that are examples of both healthwashing and greenwashing at the same time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Healthwashing terms usually fall into one of three categories based on the type of healthwashing claim: health, nutritional or medicinal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Take a look at any food product in the supermarket and you\u2019ll see a variety of healthwashing claims. All types of foods may carry healthwashing labels but some products are more common than others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A common example of healthwashing is seen on soft drinks. These products are sometimes labelled as \u2018zero calorie\u2019 \u2018calorie free; or \u2018zero sugar\u2019 when, in reality, only pure water can be free from calories and sweeteners are often used instead of sugar. All soft drinks contain ingredients that are bad for health, despite what the label says, and especially if they use chemical substitutes for sugar or artificial flavours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another common example of healthwashing is breakfast cereals. These products are often covered in healthwashing claims, such as \u2018high fibre\u2019, \u2018source of vitamins\u2019, \u2018low in sugar\u2019, \u2018natural\u2019 and \u2018gluten free\u2019. Whilst these labels might be true, the reality is that these claims are not based on the main ingredients of the cereal. Take a look at the back of the box and you\u2019ll find plenty of sugar, additives, sweeteners and preservatives that make the product much worse for your health than the labels suggest.<\/p>\n\n\n Many healthwashing terms don\u2019t have legal definitions, so food and drink manufacturers can use them on any product without having to back up the claims. This is particularly true of labels like \u2018natural\u2019 and \u2018healthy choice\u2019, which don\u2019t really have a definition at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Note that in the UK, food labelling regulations<\/a> mean that terms such as \u2018low fat\u2019, \u2018low sugar\u2019 and \u2018low salt\u2019 have legal definitions that the product must comply with in order to display the claim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To identify healthwashing products, take a look for the following terms on the item\u2019s packaging. Whilst this list is long, these are just a few examples of healthwashing claims and there are many more than are listed here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Find out more about vegan food labelling<\/strong> with our article: Vegan Food Products: What are the Labelling Requirements?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n All food manufacturers have a responsibility to not mislead their customers and must act responsibly when it comes to health and nutritional claims. Whilst there aren\u2019t many rules about the labels that can and can\u2019t be used, manufacturers still have a moral responsibility and should act with the best interests of consumers in mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a manufacturer, ensure you are following all UK\/EU food labelling regulations<\/strong><\/a> and are using the right labels in the right places, otherwise you\u2019re at risk of breaking the law and may find your company subject to expensive legal action. Correct food labelling is especially important when it comes to food allergens,<\/strong> and food products must never make \u2018allergen free\u2019 or \u2018may contain\u2019 <\/a>claims without being able to back this up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Furthermore, if you are a food or drink manufacturer wanting to label a food product as providing a benefit to the consumer\u2019s health, then EU regulations<\/a> state that your claim must be supported by scientific evidence.<\/strong> For example, you cannot state that a product \u2018supports normal metabolism\u2019 without having the product tested and assessed scientifically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a consumer, you can make considered choices and avoid healthwashing by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Healthwashing is common practice of many food manufacturers but is something consumers must be wary of. The health claims and nutritional claims made on food packaging are usually only part of the story and it\u2019s important to consider the product as a whole, considering the overall nutritional content and ingredients list, in order to make a truly informed choice about what you\u2019re eating.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Healthwashing affects the entire food and drink manufacturing industry. Food producers and consumers need to be aware of what it is, and how to avoid it. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":75693,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[83,96],"class_list":["post-75688","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-food-hygiene","tag-food-allergens","tag-nutrition"],"acf":{"schema_disabled":false,"schema_properties_FAQPage_question_answer":null,"schema_properties_HowTo_howto_tools":null,"schema_properties_HowTo_howto_supplies":null,"schema_properties_HowTo_howto_steps":null,"schema_properties_WebPage_cssSelector":null,"schema_sameAs_repeater":null,"schema_custom_json_repeater":null,"schema_custom_json_override":false},"yoast_head":"\nTypes of Healthwashing<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Examples of Healthwashing<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.highspeedtraining.co.uk\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/healthwashing2.jpg\")
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\n\n\n\nHow to Identify Healthwashing Products<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nTips for Businesses on How to Avoid Healthwashing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nFurther Resources:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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