Pupils' lunch boxes pack up to 12 spoonfuls worth of sugar

Published on Sunday 15 November 2009 21:48

PARENTS could be packing more than 12 teaspoons of sugar into their children's lunch boxes by giving them too many sweet snacks, a consumer campaign group has warned.

Which? assessed the nutritional content of items that fit into children's lunch boxes and found some were "full of salt and sugar".

The Which? report found that:

&#149 One pack of Dairylea Lunchables ham and cheese crackers contained 1.8g of salt – more than half the recommended daily allowance for a child aged four to six.

&#149 A 200ml Robinsons Fruit Shoot orange juice drink contained 23g of sugar, almost five teaspoons.

&#149 Kellogg's Frosties cereal and milk bars contained seven different sugars, with sugar making up almost a third (8g) of a 25g bar.

&#149 A Munch Bunch Double Up fromage frais contained more than two teaspoons (12.4g) of sugar and only 2.25g of fruit puree.

Which? is calling for robust rules on when products can make health and nutrition claims.

Editor Martyn Hocking said: "Parents should be able to pick out healthy products for their kids' lunch boxes but what you see isn't always what you get.

"Some products give the impression of being healthy but are full of salt and sugar.

"The best way to beat the lunch box baddies is by checking the nutrition and ingredient information. We'd also like to see the rules on health and nutrition claims made tougher so that there's less confusion on the supermarket shelves."

The food and drink manufacturing industry said the report seemed to be based on "flawed thinking". Julian Hunt, director of communications at the Food and Drink Federation, said: "We haven't fully digested this particular magazine article, but on first reading it seems to be based on some flawed thinking and an apparently random survey.

"Retailers and manufacturers provide a wide variety of tasty products designed to fit a range of consumer needs and different eating occasions.

"Critically, we are also leading the way when it comes to the provision of clearer nutrition information on products so that busy mums can make better informed choices about the food and drinks they want to buy for their families when in the supermarket."

A spokesman for Robinsons Fruit Shoot drinks said: "85 per cent of all Fruit Shoot purchased is low sugar with less than 2.4g of sugar per 200ml.

"We provide clear nutritional information so that parents can make an informed choice."

A spokesman for Nestl, which produces the Munch Bunch range, said: "Part of the sugar content of a pot of Munch Bunch Double Up fromage frais mentioned in the Which? report occurs naturally through the milk and fruit in the product.

"Each 90g pot of Munch Bunch Double Up fromage frais contains as much calcium as a 100ml glass of milk and 5.8g protein per 100g, making it a great source of protein.

"The Lactalis-Nestl Munch Bunch range includes full nutrition tables providing information per 100g and per serving on pack to ensure clarity."