We strongly support “traffic light” labels because they help consumers see which products are healthier.
Traffic-light labels use green, amber and red symbols to show the total fat, saturated fat, sugar and sodium in a product. A green light signals a healthier choice; a red light warns you the food is high in something you may be trying to cut down on.
However, we couldn’t use the traffic-light method for these instant snacks. Traffic-light labelling is based on a standardised weight of a product (such as 100g). It also requires all products to be assessed on the same basis (in this case, as “ready to eat”). But some of the instant snacks in our survey didn’t state the quantity of liquid to be added – so we couldn’t calculate their “ready to eat” weight. That meant we couldn’t compare all the products on the same basis.
Instead we’ve compared all products on a “per serve” basis and given them a pass or fail for their total fat, saturated fat and sodium content.
Read what our members have to say close
To save money on essentials and make buying decisions easy, you can't go past Consumer. We're proud to have over 65,000 members all enjoying our independent information online or in Consumer magazine.
Here's what some of them say...
"Just wanted to let you know that I find your site excellent! Easy to find my way around, everything at my fingertips - just a click away.
I only took out a 3 month membership as I wasn't sure but it is actually really easy to use and if I want it on paper I can print the
reports. Thanks again".
Denise Watkinson - Waitakere
"My mother (74) got a renewal letter from her insurance company for her car insurance, wanting $570. After reading
your article on car insurance, I contacted one of the companies you recommended, who quoted her $318 for the same
level of cover. I just wanted to stay thank you very much for your article, as it has saved my mother a substantial amount of money".
Adrian Lane - Kapiti Coast
"I've been a member to the magazine since 1997 and enjoy reading it a lot. I've found lots of helpful information on different issues...
Thank you for being so helpful".
Peter Kovalenko - Porirua
"I have been a member of the Consumer NZ for 20 or more years and have enjoyed much reliable advice.
I turn to their tests before making significant purchases".
Lyndal Print – Auckland
Join Consumer now and make your decisions easy on a huge range of products and services
- Over 500 reports, plus interactive tools and calculators
- Independent advice from NZ's trusted source of information
- Join over 65,000 members who help us get all NZers a fairer deal
from just $28
Previous: Products compared
