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Background: Nutrition claims on food labels are used to attract attention to products. Inaccurate claims on ready-to-eat (RTE) snack food products may mislead consumers into consuming a higher volume of a seemingly ‘healthy’ product. Objectives: A study was undertaken to determine the following surrounding the packaging of RTE snack food products: (i) compliance of health and or nutrient claims; (ii) average nutrient content per snack category; (iii) accuracy of the total energy content; (iv) eligibility to make claims once the R429 legislation is implemented. Outcome measures: Nutrient content per 100 g and serving size was analysed. Claims related to nutrient content were audited. Design: An analysis was undertaken of the labels of 93 South African-produced RTE snack food products from 10 categories, displaying health and or nutrition claims. Results: Ninety-one products displayed nutrient content claims. Twenty-three (25.3%) nutrient content claims were non-compliant with the R146 legislation. Twenty-one (22.6%) displayed negative claims, three (14.3%) were ineligible. Eighteen products (19.4%) displayed endorsement claims, four (4.4%) were eligible. Sixty-four products (68.8%) displayed a higher total energy content when applying the conversion factors to the displayed macronutrient values. Only 22 (23.7%) products would be eligible to make health and/or nutrition claims once the R429 legislation is promulgated. Conclusion: A higher proportion of eligible claims were found. More than 70% of food manufacturers will need to make changes to the nutrient content or labels once the R429 legislation is implemented. A two-pronged approach of manufacturer compliance and consumer education may improve food choices and reduce the incidence of obesity and NCDs.

Background: Internationally, ready-to-eat breakfast cereals (RTEBC) make an important contribution to the nutritional intake of children. Significant differences have been found between the nutritional quality of children and non-children’s RTEBC. South Africa has strict legislation regarding the use of nutrition claims to promote products. Objectives: To determine i) differences in nutritional quality between children’s and non-children’s RTEBC; and, ii) compliance of nutrition claims with current legislation. Outcome measures: An analysis of the nutrient content per 100 g and per recommended serving size; an audit of nutrient content claims. Design: This study examined the packages of 134 RTEBC that were categorised into children’s cereal and six types of non-children’s cereal. Results: Children’s cereals formed 21% (n = 28) of the sample and were significantly more likely to have sugar as the first or second ingredient listed. Per 100 g, children’s cereals contained significantly more carbohydrates, sugar and sodium than non-children’s cereal collectively. Per 100 g and per serving, non-children’s cereal was significantly higher in protein, fat and dietary fibre compared to children’s cereal. Seventy-eight percent of all RTEBC (n = 104) had a nutrient content claim and 2% (n = 3) had a comparative claim. The most common claim was regarding dietary fibre (69 claims) followed by vitamins and minerals (65 claims). Ten nutrient claims were not compliant with legislation. Conclusion: Significant differences in nutritional quality exist between South African children’s and non-children’s RTEBC. Food manufacturers need to be more vigilant regarding nutrient claims and adhere to the labelling legislation.