Access to Nutrition Index launched

The world’s largest food and beverage manufacturers must do more to increase access to nutritious products and positively exercise their influence on consumer choice and behaviour, says the first edition of the global Access to Nutrition Index (ATNI) report and rankings. The report assesses the nutrition-related commitments, performance and disclosure practices of 25 of the world’s largest food and beverage manufacturers as measured against international guidelines, norms and accepted best practices. Danone, Unilever and Nestlé are the top performers on the ATNI, receiving the highest scores on both the obesity and undernutrition rankings. But even the top performers have significant room for improvement with the highest score being 6.3 on a 10.0 point scale, says the report. In addition, both Danone and Nestlé have been reported to be in violation of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes, which affected their scores. The ATNI recommends that both companies, along with other breast-milk substitute manufacturers, take action to ensure full compliance with the International Code.