Nutrition Enhancement Programme
At Unilever, we understand just how important food is to our lives. Food doesn't just sustain us, it can nourish and revitalise us. Good food and drink can improve our health and vitality, be fun and bring families and friends together. We care about food because you do.
Global focus
To help make sure that you get the most nutritional benefits from our foods, Unilever launched the Nutrition Enhancement Programme in 2005. The programme so far has scrutinised each and every product in our food and drink portfolio across the globe for levels of trans fat, saturated fats, sodium and sugars.
Raising the bar
Our entire range of more than 22 000 products has now been assessed against stringent nutritional criteria, and as a result of this assessment we have clear strategies for enhancing the nutritional profile of our portfolio.
Each one has been carefully compared to an individual nutritional benchmark, created by the Unilever Food and Health Research Institute using dietary recommendations from international and national authorities. These benchmarks have been published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal (Nijman et al, A method to improve the nutritional quality of foods and beverages based on dietary recommendations. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2007; 61:461-471). As well as improving our existing products, these benchmarks also play an important role in the development of future innovations.
Making a difference
The Nutrition Enhancement Programme is driving real improvements in the nutritional composition of our entire food and beverage portfolio. In 2005 and 2006, the Nutrition Enhancement Programme resulted in the removal of more than 30 000 tons of trans fat, 7 000 tons of saturated fat, 3 000 tons of sodium and 17 000 tons of sugars from across the global portfolio.
All Family Goodness (Rama, Blue Band) soft tubs in Europe reformulated to 33% saturated fat or lower
The total European savoury portfolio (soups, bouillons, sauces) is virtually trans fat free
Up to 15-20% reduction of added sugars in various ranges of kids water ice in North America (Popsicle), Australia (Paddle Pop) and Europe (Calippo, Twister)
10% average sodium reduction in dry soups in Europe and 7% in soups in Latin America
Over 40% reduction in sugars in Becel pro-activ minidrinks and yoghurts
Proud history
Unilever has a long history of improving the nutritional quality of our products – Knorr first launched soup tablets with meat extract to provide nutrition for the poor in 1886. More recently, Unilever has been reducing the level of trans fats in our spreads since the 1990s, when we were the first company to take action on the issue.
Changing lives
Our programme is not all about reducing levels of fat, sodium and sugar, though. Nearly one-third of the world's children under five are malnourished, and malnutrition contributes to half of all childhood deaths. To try to help overcome nutrient deficiencies in developing countries, Unilever is also fortifying foods, such as enriching Annapurna salt with iodine in Africa and India.
