Package size and manufacturer-recommended serving size of sweet beverages: a cross-sectional study across four high-income countries. Issue 6 (7th July 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Poelman, Maartje P; Eyles, Helen; Dunford, Elizabeth; Schermel, Alyssa; L'Abbe, Mary R; Neal, Bruce; Seidell, Jacob C; Steenhuis, Ingrid HM; Ni Mhurchu, Cliona
• Is Part Of: Public health nutrition. Volume 19:Issue 6(2016)
• Page Start: 1008
• Page End: 1016
• Publication Date: 2015-07-07
• Subjects: Package size, -- Serving size, -- Non-alcoholic beverages, -- Portion size, -- Supermarket; Nutrition -- Periodicals; Nutrition policy -- Periodicals; Public health -- Periodicals; 613.2
• DOI: 10.1017/S1368980015001974
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1368-9800

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: To assess the mean package size and manufacturer-recommended serving size of sweet beverages available in four high-income countries: Australia, Canada, the Netherlands and New Zealand. Design: Cross-sectional surveys. Setting: The two largest supermarket chains of each country in 2012/2013. Subjects: Individual pack size (IPS) drinks ( n 891) and bulk pack size (BPS) drinks ( n 1904). Results: For all IPS drinks, the mean package size was larger than the mean serving size (mean (sd )=412 (157) ml and 359 (159) ml, respectively). The mean (sd ) package size of IPS drinks was significantly different for all countries (range: Australia=370 (149) ml to New Zealand=484 (191) ml; P< 0·01). The mean (sd ) package size of Dutch BPS drinks (1313 (323) ml) was significantly smaller compared with the other countries (New Zealand=1481 (595) ml, Australia=1542 (595) ml, Canada=1550 (434) ml; P <0·01). The mean (sd ) serving size of BPS drinks was significantly different across all countries (range: Netherlands=216 (30) ml to Canada=248 (31) ml; P< 0·00). New Zealand had the largest package and serving sizes of the countries assessed. In all countries, a large number of different serving sizes were used to provide information on the amount appropriate to consume in one sitting. Conclusions: At this point there is substantial inconsistency in package sizes and manufacturer-recommended serving sizes of sweet beverages within and between four high-income countries, especially for IPS drinks. As consumers do factor serving size into their judgements of healthiness of a product, serving size regulations, preferably set by governments and global health organisations, would provide consistency and assist individuals in making healthier food choices.