Cluttered with claims: Composition, nutrition, health and marketing claims on commercial infant and toddler foods in New Zealand

Abstract

Aim: The World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe's Nutrient and Promotion Profile Model recommends that commercial infant and toddler foods do not carry compositional, nutrition, health, or marketing claims. Our objective was to identify on-pack claims displayed on commercial foods for infants and toddlers in New Zealand. Method: The packaging of products intended for infants (aged up to 11 months) and toddlers (ages 12 months to <36 months) was analyzed for the presence of claims using a coding structure based on categories outlined by the World Health Organization Europe Nutrient and Promotion Profile Model. Descriptive statistics were conducted to analyze the frequency of types of claims. Relevant infant and toddler products available in New Zealand supermarkets were identified through a packaged food database of products collected in 2023. Results: Two hundred and ten products were identified: 167 infant and 43 toddler products. On average, there were 7.5 unique claims per product (range 3–15), with composition and nutrition claims being the most common (mean 4.0 per product), followed by marketing (3.3) and health claims (0.2). Composition and nutrition claims relating to the absence of ingredients generally perceived to be harmful (i.e. ‘free from’ claims) were prevalent on 97% of products and most commonly referred to flavors (on 72% of products) and colors (71%). Conclusions: All New Zealand infant and toddler products carried multiple claims. Regulation is needed to align with international best practice and prevent caregivers from being potentially misled by these promotional messages when making purchasing decisions for young children.