Nestlé wants all of its children’s range to meet the ‘60/40+’ criteria by the end of 2014
To achieve the 60/40+ status products need to be chosen over the competitor’s by at least 60 out of 100 people in consumer tasting panels.
They would also need to have an added nutritional benefit in the product, which is based on criteria recommended by world-renowned nutrition and health authorities, as well as on local public health and regulatory guidelines.
“We introduced 60/40+ in 2004 to rigorously analyse the nutritional content of our food and beverage products. The backdrop to this was Nestlé’s strategic transformation from being primarily a processor of agricultural commodities into a nutrition, health and wellness company—a transformation that began in the late 1990s,” said Hilary Green, head of R&D Communications at Nestlé.
“Before 2004, we had 60/40, which tested whether our products are preferred by at least 60% of a large consumer panel in a blind taste test against the most prominent competitor product. Since 2004 we have added the +, which is the nutritional dimension,” she added.
In 2013, 96% of the company’s food and beverages for children and 76% of overall products met all of the Nestlé Nutritional Foundation criteria. In 2012 the results stood at 89% and 75.7% respectively.
“Our objective is that 100% of our children’s foods and beverages will meet the relevant criteria by the end of 2014,” said Green.
No half measures
The programme was constructed so that all products meet rigorous standards for nutrition and consumer preference. If the product failed to meet them it would go back to the drawing board to be improved.
“The criteria cover nutritional factors such as sugar, fat, salt and calorie content, and levels of protein, calcium and fibre. If a food or beverage product meets all the criteria of the Nestlé Nutritional Profiling System (60/40+), then it attains the Nestlé Nutritional Foundation status – meaning we consider it an appropriate choice for consumers as part of a balanced diet.
Green said that although it was a global initiative, the assessments were carried out to ensure they considered specific local nutritional priorities.
