Interpret common nutrition claims and explain how advertising and marketing influence what consumers buy

What this dot point is asking

SEAB wants you to interpret common nutrition claims (such as "low fat" and "no added sugar") and explain how advertising and marketing influence what people buy. The big idea is that claims and adverts are designed to sell, and they can be misleading if taken at face value, so a smart consumer checks the nutrition information panel behind the claim. The marks come from explaining what claims really mean and from naming genuine persuasion techniques.

The answer

What common nutrition claims mean

Nutrition claims highlight one feature of a food, but each has a precise meaning and limits:

• "Low fat" means the food has only a small amount of fat (below a set low level per 100 g), but it still contains some fat.
• "Fat free" means the food has no fat or only a tiny, negligible amount.
• "No added sugar" means no sugar was added during making, but the food may still be high in natural sugars (for example from fruit or juice).
• "Reduced" or "less" (fat, salt or sugar) means it has less than the regular version, but it can still be quite high.

So a claim can be true yet misleading: a "low fat" food may be high in sugar, and a "no added sugar" food may be high in natural sugar. Always check the nutrition information panel for the full picture.

The Healthier Choice Symbol

Singapore's Healthier Choice Symbol (from the Health Promotion Board) is a logo on the front of packs showing that, compared with similar products, the food is a healthier option (for example lower in fat, salt or sugar, or higher in fibre or wholegrain). It helps shoppers quickly pick the healthier product within a category, though it is still wise to check the panel.

How advertising persuades

Advertising and marketing are designed to make people want and buy a food. Common techniques include:

• Attractive packaging and tempting images of the food.
• Celebrities, sportspeople or cartoon characters (which strongly target children).
• Special offers, discounts and "buy one get one free".
• Health-sounding claims on the front of the pack.
• Placement at eye level or near the checkout to encourage impulse buys.
• Appealing adverts on television and social media.

A smart consumer recognises these techniques and decides based on the label and their needs, not just the advert.

Examples in context

Example 1. The Healthier Choice Symbol on staples. A shopper picking brown rice or wholemeal bread can look for the Healthier Choice Symbol, which marks it as a healthier option than the white version, usually for being higher in wholegrain and fibre. This helps a quick, healthier choice among similar Singapore staples.

Example 2. A cereal box aimed at children. A sugary breakfast cereal sold with a cartoon character, bright colours and a free toy uses marketing aimed straight at children, even though the cereal may be high in sugar. Recognising these techniques, a parent checks the sugar on the panel rather than being swayed by the packaging.

Try this

Q1. Explain what "no added sugar" means and why such a product can still be high in sugar. [2 marks]

• Cue. No sugar was added in making it, but it may contain high natural sugars (e.g. from fruit or juice), so total sugar can still be high.

Q2. Explain what the Healthier Choice Symbol tells a shopper. [2 marks]

• Cue. That the food is a healthier option compared with similar products (e.g. lower in fat, salt or sugar, or higher in fibre).

Q3. Describe two techniques advertisers use to persuade people to buy a food. [2 marks]

• Cue. Any two of: attractive packaging and images, celebrities or cartoon characters, special offers, front-of-pack claims, eye-level placement, appealing adverts.