7.5 Saudi Arabia’s voluntary traffic light label, 2018

FIGURE 7.5

Saudi Arabia’s voluntary traffic light label, 2018

Sources: (lower image) SFDA 2018b, https://sfda.gov.sa/sites/default/files/2019-11/ND2-min.jpg; (upper image) SFDA 2018c, https://sfda.gov.sa/sites/default/files/2019-11/ND6-min.jpg.

studies did not have the intended effect of decreasing calorie purchasing or consumption (Petimar et al. 2019; Swartz, Braxton, and viera 2011). There are multiple potential explanations for the lack of strong effectiveness evidence for menu calorie labeling. One potential explanation suggests that it is effective in decreasing the number of calories ordered by health-oriented consumers, but consumers who value quantity and taste may increase the calories they order in response to menu calorie labeling. These two responses counterbalance each other, leading to its overall nonsignificant effect on calories ordered in restaurants (Berry et al. 2019). Another explanation for the lack of effectiveness is that consumers are not clear on what to do with calorie information, suggesting that front-of-package labels indicating which foods to consume or avoid may be more effective (Fernandes et al. 2016).

In Saudi Arabia, as part of the Healthy Food Strategy, the SFDA mandated all restaurants, cafés, ice cream shops, fresh juice shops, and bakeries in the country to display calorie content on their menus clearly next to each food item and each preparation method if varied (print and electronic), effective January 2019 (SFDA 2018a). Field visits to bakeries and patisseries in Riyadh and Qaseem by the SFDA suggest a 70 percent compliance rate (Arab News 2019). The most

notable violations were miscalculating caloric content and not displaying it on all menus. However, the compliance rate nationally and at different food establishment types, including homes, is unclear.

Three studies to date have assessed the impact of the calorie labeling policy in Saudi Arabia. A study before and after policy implementation using transactional sales data for a large food restaurant chain in Riyadh found no significant impact from calorie labeling on total calorie intake but did find a slight decrease in total calories for those using online food ordering platforms (Alfawzan and Aljarallah 2020). Another cross-sectional study used an online survey of individuals and restaurant owners. It found that 62 percent of participants reported that the new labeling policy affected their food selections, prompting them to order different food items, eat less, change restaurants, or eat at restaurants less frequently. Sales of low- and high-energy meals increased and decreased in 44 percent and 39 percent of restaurants, respectively (Alkhaldy et al. 2020). Finally, another cross-sectional study asking participants directly about their experiences with calorie labeling in restaurants, fast food joints, and cafés in Riyadh found that a majority of respondents (87 percent) noticed calories were displayed on the menu but only half knew the recommended average daily caloric intake (Alassaf et al. 2020). Both studies had small sample sizes and were based on self-reported data. There is a strong need for more rigorous monitoring and evaluation of the calorie labeling policy.

Food and beverage product reformulations

Product reformulation can help improve the quality of packaged food. Manufacturers typically reformulate their products either voluntarily, in response to changes in consumer preferences, or obligatorily, in response to government regulations. A study on the impact of different reformulation scenarios in France found the total impact of reformulation could amount to a 3.7–5.5 percent reduction in mortality (Leroy et al. 2016).

Mandatory product reformulation is more effective than voluntary commitments. A systematic review of the effectiveness of 26 policies (including voluntary limits and labeling) in real world settings to reduce trans fatty acids (TFAs) in food found that, overall, TFA content decreased with all types of policy interventions, with bans being most effective at eliminating TFA from the food supply (Downs, Thow, and Leeder 2013). Through multicomponent interventions, Denmark progressively reduced TFA consumption from 4.5 grams per day in 1976 to 1.5 grams per day in 1995, but TFAs were virtually eliminated after a law banning TFAs in manufactured food was implemented in 2004 (Hyseni et al. 2017). A study in Australia found that while current voluntary salt-reduction programs are cost-effective, population health benefits could be 20 times greater with government legislation on salt limits in processed foods (Cobiac, vos, and veerman 2010). Similarly, the UK SSB tax has been far more effective at decreasing sugar content than voluntary reduction in sugar content in prior years (Pell et al. 2021).

In Saudi Arabia, the SFDA issued a number of mandatory and voluntary product reformulation initiatives to encourage healthier changes in the food and beverage sector (SFDA 2018a; USDA FAS 2021). These are listed in table 7.4. The companies that signed these voluntary commitment initiatives are Nestlé Middle East, Mars Saudi Arabia & Gulf, Mondelez Arabia, Kellogg’s Arabia, PepsiCo Global, Coca Cola, Unilever, General Mills Company, and Freezeland