Nutrition

Improving Heart Health

Global target :

By 2020 we aim to motivate 100 million people globally to take the Heart Age test with our Flora brand and reduce elevated heart age by an average of three years for those who follow the recommended diet and lifestyle plan.

Australia & NZ Focus

In 1999 Australia and New Zealand were the first markets to launch Flora pro-activ, our cholesterol lowering spread with plant sterols.  Since then we’ve sold more than 80 million tubs, with more than 20% of households benefiting from its cholesterol lowering properties every year.  

We continue to help people understand heart health and over 67,000 Australians have taken the Heart Age test since its 2010 launch.  

Unilever has been part of the National Heart Foundation’s Tick program in Australia and New Zealand for more than 20 years. 93% of our spreads and 97% of our side dish products meet the Tick Program’s strict nutrition criteria and carry the Tick. Flora pro-activ is also a proud supporting sponsor of the Australian Heart Foundation Go Red for Women campaign, helping raise awareness of women’s heart health.

Reduce salt levels

Global target :

Reduce salt levels further to help consumers meet the globally recommended level of 5 grams of salt a day by 2015.

Australia & NZ Focus

Through our on-going salt reduction program we develop new products with lower salt levels and reduce the salt content of existing products. We removed more than 250 tonnes of salt from our spreads range in the 1990’s and since 2001 have reduced the salt content across 155 Continental products by on average 30%.

We are an advisory board member of AWASH (Australian Division of World Action on Salt and Health) and we are working with the Australian Government’s Food and Health Dialogue to implement a series of salt reduction targets. Together we aim to promote healthier lifestyles through reducing the salt content of commonly consumed foods and showing consumers how they can prepare delicious and healthy meals that are lower in salt.

Reduce saturated fat

Global target :

We are committed to improving fat composition of our products by reducing saturated fat as much as possible and increasing levels of essential fats so that leading spreads will contain less than 33% saturated fat as a proportion of total fat by 2012 and a daily portion will provide at least 15% of the essential fatty acids recommended by international dietary guidelines.

Australia & NZ Focus

We support Australian dietary recommendations to eat less saturated fat by improving the types of fats in our products; reducing saturated fat and where possible, increasing levels of healthy, essential fats. Through ongoing reformulation we’ve removed 3,000 tonnes of trans fat from our spreads range, which is now virtually trans fat free, and all our spreads already contain less than 28% saturated fat.  We’ve also removed 595 tonnes of saturated fat from our Continental products and Streets ice cream range since 2001. 

We continue to increasingly promote reduced or low fat (light) variants across Continental foods, Blue Ribbon ice cream and Flora spreads. Through using innovative methods and reformulation we have recently reduced the saturated fat content of our existing Blue Ribbon Vanilla flavours by 32% and Blue Ribbon Classic Chocolate by 60% whilst still delivering a great texture and taste.

Reduce sugar levels

Global target :

Reduce sugar levels in our ready to drink teas by a further 25% by 2020.

Australia & New Zealand Focus

Since 2003, we’ve reduced the sugar content of regular Lipton Iced Tea by 7% and introduced two light Lipton Ice Tea variants. In 2010 Lipton was one of the first major brands to use the natural non-sugar sweetener, Stevia, with our re-launch of Lipton Green Ice Tea which contains approximately 30% less sugar. We’ve also removed 380 tonnes of sugar from our Streets ice cream range since 2004.

Reduce calorie levels

Global target :

100% of our children’s ice cream products will contain 110 calories or fewer per portion by 2014.

Australia & NZ Focus

We offer families a healthier treat option by ensuring our core Paddle Pop range and all new kids ice cream products already contain 110 calories or less, are a source of calcium and meetstrict school canteen nutrition guidelines across Australia and New Zealand.  

We continue to look for opportunities to lower calories across our portfolio, for example our new Splice Real Fruits range contains real fruit with only 75 calories per serve.

Providing healthy eating information

Global target :

All products will provide full nutritional information with energy per portion on front of pack and eight key nutrients and % Guideline Daily Amounts (Dietary Intake Guidelines in Australia & NZ) for five nutrients on the back of pack.

Australia & NZ Focus

We’ve already introduced front of pack labelling for energy per portion and energy % Daily Intake Guideline (DIG) and by mid 2013 we will also move % DIGs for fat, saturated fat, sugar and sodium to the front of pack.