• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Petition to have carbs displayed on front of packaging

zand said:
Like some others I would prefer the traffic light system to be removed altogether.
Click to expand...

Yes I actually would prefer this myself but can you imagine the fight to do so? I'm hoping if we can get carbs added to it (and it should not be colour coded as different people can tolerate different amount of carbs before they have a problem) then it will draw attention to the fact that they exist. Carbohydrate is not a word you hear its always about 'sugar' and as carbs aren't displayed people assume (because this is what the food industry wants them to think) that they don't matter.

I'd abolish the traffic light system if it was up to me but I really don't think we stand a chance of getting rid of it, at present anyway.
 
ThePenguinPimp said:
Yes I actually would prefer this myself but can you imagine the fight to do so? I'm hoping if we can get carbs added to it (and it should not be colour coded as different people can tolerate different amount of carbs before they have a problem) then it will draw attention to the fact that they exist. Carbohydrate is not a word you hear its always about 'sugar' and as carbs aren't displayed people assume (because this is what the food industry wants them to think) that they don't matter.

I'd abolish the traffic light system if it was up to me but I really don't think we stand a chance of getting rid of it, at present anyway.
Click to expand...
OK you have persuaded me lol, I'll sign :)
 
I think I mentioned my previous DN who said carbs and sugars are different things, only focus on the sugars as carbs in bread, rice, spuds etc dont count as they are savoury foods.
 
Mel dCP said:
When I’ve asked for nutritional info in chain restaurants, all you get is calories, fat, sat fat, and sugar. They often have no idea on why total carb info is crucial even after I explain I need it for insulin dosing. One waiter just said that “my brother is type one diabetic and he doesn’t care what the carbohydrate level is!”... :banghead::banghead::banghead:
Click to expand...
I suppose he's still with us, is he?
 
lucylocket61 said:
I think I mentioned my previous DN who said carbs and sugars are different things, only focus on the sugars as carbs in bread, rice, spuds etc dont count as they are savoury foods.
Click to expand...
Does she have many type 1 patients, I wonder?
 
lucylocket61 said:
I think I mentioned my previous DN who said carbs and sugars are different things, only focus on the sugars as carbs in bread, rice, spuds etc dont count as they are savoury foods.
Click to expand...

Just wow.. they should be sacked! But that is what the food and pharmaceutical industries would have us believe.. just can't actually get my head around a diabetes specialist saying it!
 
pollensa said:
This is pollensa here, my post code is 07460 which refers to the town of Pollensa here in Mallorca if that is of any assistance, seems such a shame, you have this positive idea regards what may prove beneficial for us all re foods supermarkets display to be more transparent with info noted on items, that you could be loosing support to your project campaign for fact, they unfortunately our out of UK, and the petition format plateau seems to only accept UK post codes, good luck with your project anyway.
Click to expand...

Ah, sorry you have to be a resident of the UK to sign the petition.
 
zand said:
OK you have persuaded me lol, I'll sign :)
Click to expand...
Some posters have caused me to re-assess the pros and cons; but, on balance, it would raise awareness, so would be useful, unless PHE decided a high carb product is still green, as others have said.
 
Mel dCP said:
When I’ve asked for nutritional info in chain restaurants, all you get is calories, fat, sat fat, and sugar. They often have no idea on why total carb info is crucial even after I explain I need it for insulin dosing. One waiter just said that “my brother is type one diabetic and he doesn’t care what the carbohydrate level is!”... :banghead::banghead::banghead:
Click to expand...

The restaurant thing is the next petition lol I'm trying to keep this one as simple and as easily implementable as possible. If this succeeds then we want the info everywhere! Also why does alcohol not have nutritional info on it? And his brother may just be one of the lucky ones whose sugars never seem to rise (or hes in hospital as we speak having a toe off).
 
Squire Fulwood said:
The traffic light system comes from Public Health England who take their dietary advice from the food industry and then produce the Eatwell Guide. Personally I am unaware of the involvement of the EU. That doesn't mean they are not involved, if just means I have seen nothing on that.
Click to expand...

Taking advice from the food industry.. there are no words.
pollensa said:
Hello, congratulations regards your petition/campaign. To inform you, as others who do NOT RESIDE IN UK, may experience the same? I have tried to sign the petition and it wont allow as it stated my Code is not accepted, as I reside in Mallorca, of course, our codes of districts are different, so it looks like the petition is for UK people only? or perhaps you can amend, the code system to allow overseas codes, if not, you may loose a lot of people out there who wish to support the petition and are unable unfortunately.
Click to expand...

Because I'm petitioning for a change to UK packaging I told me that only uk residents could sign :(
 
Just signed but would like to point out that if it came in a packet it is by definition likely to have processed carbs in them just so that it can have good shelf life and be highly palatable. And yes you can dose for those (or make a guess) if you are type 1 and eat them very occasionally if you are a type 2 but the industry will always try and persuade you to buy. Perhaps the 'healthy whole grains' should be in the locked cupboard in a plain box alongside the ciggies?
I think that government could institute very effective behavioural changes that would benefit lots of people's health but until the nutritonal 'scientists' agree on what makes us fat and diabetic, then we can't blame Big Food for playing the game within the current rules laid out for them. I am aware that Big Food buys influence into that very group of scientific advisors but the obvious failure of the current advice will surely prompt more changes soon.
 
ThePenguinPimp said:
If diabetes is one of the biggest and growing problems why are carbs not already displayed on the front of packaging? Only displaying 'Sugars' is misleading as that is all the media talks about. ALL carbohydrate (ok except that from fibre but that has already been deducted from the carb value on the back) enter our blood as sugar!

I have started a petition which I would be really grateful if you would sign and share. I am not hoping to gain anything from this other than forcing the food industry to stop pretending that its only 'sugars' we have to look out for!

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/display-carbohydrate-value-on-front-of-all-food-packaging
The shorter version (if you are kind enough to tweet) is https://bit.ly/2IVHJTW

image%20for%20petition%203.jpg



Duplicate threads merged by Mod[/
I agree totally can take ages to find or work out carb content ...just signed petition
Click to expand...
 
Back
Top