Over recent decades, the commercial ultra-processed food industry has grown, making snacks high in energy, added sugar, saturated fat and sodium affordable and accessible to consumers. Dietary patterns high in ultra-processed snacks are concerning as this can result in negative health outcomes. This study aims to provide insight on available snack products in South African supermarkets, and the marketing thereof, which can be used to support policy development aimed at improving the healthfulness of the food supply and consumption patterns.

This was an observational cross-sectional, mixed-method study.

Secondary data from six major supermarket chains (eight stores) in three different suburbs in Cape Town, South Africa was analysed to evaluate the nutritional composition of snack products (n=3837). The same eight supermarkets were revisited to obtain information on marketing via an observational checklist. Qualitative interviews were also conducted with store managers.

Majority (89%) of the products assessed either contained non-sugar sweeteners or were high in sugar, saturated fat, or sodium. These snack items that are high in nutrients of concern to limit were available at checkout areas in all stores, were found in high traffic areas and several in-store promotional strategies such as branded displays, special offers and combo-deals were commonly found.

The current South African supermarket environment encourages consumers to purchase unhealthy snacks. Most snacks assessed in this study cannot be recommended for regular consumption due to the nutritional composition being high in nutrients linked to poor health outcomes. There is a need for regulation of the in-store marketing of unhealthy snacks in South Africa. Retail settings are potential intervention points for limiting exposure to these unhealthy products.

To assess and compare the (macro-)nutritional composition of red meat (RM) and poultry meat (PM) products with the emerging category of meat substitutes.

We use information on nutritional values per 100 g to estimate the differences in the nutritional composition between RM, PM, vegan meat substitute (VMS) and non-vegan meat substitute (NVMS) and derive six unique meat product clusters to enhance the comparability.

Meat markets from five major European countries: France, Germany, UK, Italy and Spain.

Product innovation data for 19 941 products from Mintel’s Global New Product Database from 2010 to 2020.

Most of the innovations in the sample are RM products (55 %), followed by poultry (30 %), VMS (11 %) and NVMS (5 %). RM products exhibit a significantly higher energy content in kcal/100 g as well as fat, saturated fat, protein and salt all in g/100 g than the meatless alternatives, while the latter contain significantly more carbohydrates and fibre than either poultry or RM. However, results differ to a certain degree when products are grouped into more homogeneous clusters like sausages, cold cuts and burgers. This indicates that general conclusions regarding the health effects of substituting meat with plant-based alternatives should only be drawn in relation to comparable products.

Meat substitutes, both vegan and non-vegan, are rated as ultra-processed foods. However, compared with RM products, they and also poultry products both can provide a diet that contains fewer nutrients-to-limit, like salt and saturated fats.

This study aimed to characterise the availability, the nutritional composition and the processing degree of industrial foods for 0–36-month-old children according to the neighbourhoods affluence.

A cross-sectional exploratory study.

All food products available in retail stores for children aged 0–36 months were analysed. Data collection took place in two neighbourhoods, comparing two different sociodemographic districts (high v. low per capita income), Campanhã and Foz do Douro in Porto, Portugal.

A total of 431 commercially processed food products for children aged 0–36 months which are sold in 23 retail stores were identified. Food products were classified according to their processing degree using the NOVA Food Classification System.

For NOVA analysis, of the 244 food products that were included 82 (33·6 %) were minimally processed, 25 (10·2 %) processed and 137 (56·1 %) ultra processed. No food product was classified as a culinary ingredient. The products included mostly cereals, yogurts, prevailed in high-income neighbourhoods for the 0–6-month-old group. It was observed that some categories of ultra-processed food (UPF) presented higher amounts of energy, sugars, saturated fat and salt than unprocessed/minimally processed products.

The high availability of UPF offered for 0–36-month-old children should be considered when designing interventions to promote a healthy diet in infancy.

To quantify total sugar reformulation in Canadian prepackaged foods and beverages between 2013 and 2017 and identify changes in the nutritional composition of the foods and beverages reformulated to be lower in total sugar.

Longitudinal examination of foods and beverages present in both 2013 and 2017 collections of the University of Toronto’s Food Label Information Program database (n 6628 matched products). The proportion of products with changes in sugar levels was determined. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to examine changes in sugar levels overall for products lower or higher in sugar and changes in nutrient composition for products lower in sugar.

Largest grocery retailers by market share in Canada.

Canadian prepackaged foods and beverages.

The majority (76·6 %) of products had no change in total sugar content, 12·4 % were reformulated to be lower in sugar and 11·0 % were higher in sugar. A median sugar reduction of 19·0 % (1·6 g) was seen among products lower in sugar which was offset by a median 18·0 % (1·5 g) increase among products higher in sugar. Overall, median levels of energies and other nutrients stayed the same or decreased among products reformulated to be lower in sugar, the exception was for starch, which increased.

Limited progress was made to reformulate foods and beverages to be lower in total sugar between 2013 and 2017. Results from this study identify areas in the food supply where attention may be needed to avoid unintended consequences of sugar-focused reformulation in terms of overall nutritional composition.

To assess the presence of nutrition declarations and nutritional quality in pre-packaged food products sold in Guatemala.

We photographed nutrition labels of pre-packaged foods. We extracted information about declaration of energy, total/saturated/trans-fats, total/added sugars and Na content (critical nutrients). We classified all products according to their degree of processing (NOVA classification) and nutritional quality (PAHO and WHO-Europe nutrient profile models).

Pre-packaged foods for sale in seven supermarkets in Guatemala City.

This study did not involve human subjects.

We assessed 3459 pre-packaged foods, including 80 % ultra-processed, 7 % processed and 13 % unprocessed/minimally processed foods or culinary ingredients. Nutritional information was available in 3021 products (87·3 %). Energy content was declared in 87·0 %; total fats in 86·1 %; saturated fats in 81·5 %; trans-fats in 48·9 %; total sugars in 70·3 %; added sugars in 0·5 % and Na/salt in 85·5 % of products. Insufficient nutrient information made impossible to assess nutritional quality in 36·6 and 17·1 % of products with the PAHO and WHO-Europe models, respectively. Using PAHO and WHO nutrient profiles, we found that 66·2 and 50 % of food products did not meet the model’s nutritional criteria.

A high proportion of pre-packaged foods with nutritional information available in Guatemalan supermarkets do not meet the nutritional criteria recommended by WHO and PAHO. Furthermore, a high proportion of products did not declare critical nutrients and many did not even provide any nutritional information. National regulations should consider making critical nutrient declarations (including trans-fats and sugars) mandatory for all products.