Guiding Stars System Is A Hit With Americans

Customers have reacted positively to the new nutritional program which singles out healthier foods using a star-rating system. The program was developed by Scarborough, Maine-based Hannaford Bros. Co., which runs 160 grocery stores under the Hannaford Supermarket and Hannaford Supermarket and Pharmacy banners.

The Guiding Stars program examines almost all of the items they sell in its stores, rating healthier choices using a debit and credit formula providing a weighted average of food’s nutritional value and giving it stars based on how healthy that food is. One star is a good choice of food, two stars - better and three stars - the best choice.

Those products that don’t qualify for a star are left unlabeled. Debits are then given for trans fats, saturates fats, cholesterol, added salt and sugar and credits given for vitamins, minerals, dietary fibre and whole grains.

Caren Epstein, spokeswoman for Hannaford has said about the program, “It’s the only one in the country that rates all edible foods,”. The Guiding Stars program has been in stores for a year now.

Now, a year later, sales for starred foods outpace the sales for similar items without stars. The most noticeable difference has been witnessed in the sale of packaged foods like frozen dinners and breakfast cereals.

In a survey by the International Food Information Council, Americans increasingly mention healthfulness as an important factor in their food decisions - up 9% from 58% in 2006. It seems, however, they are still not fully informed on their food choices.

The Guiding Stars system is one of many as several retailers have now developed labelling systems to highlight healthier choices on the front of food packaging. Kraft Foods Inc. is launching a Nutrition At-A Glance labelling program for their breakfast cereals this month.
The American Heart Association’s heart-shaped label highlights foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol.

To read more on Hannaford’s findings, click here.

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