Global Nutrition Database for Packaged Food
South Africa
National Policy Response
Food reformulation policies
Sodium
Fat
No targets
Sugar
No targets
Other relevant packaged food policies
Front-of-Package Labeling Regulations
None
Marketing Restrictions
None
Trans Fatty Acid Regulations
Fiscal Policies
Levy on sugary beverages introduced in 2018: rate of 2.1 cents per gram of sugar that exceeds 4 grams per 100 milliliters.
Packaged Food Sampling
2021
| Nutrient types | Sodium |
| Products sampled | 1,103 |
Methods
Data was collected between February and June 2021 using The George Institute’s Food Data Collector smartphone application and the Content Management System (CMS) database. Data collection involved in-store surveys at two major supermarkets serving middle- and high-income consumers in Johannesburg, as well as two additional retailers catering to lower-income markets, with samples couriered for analysis. Product information, including barcodes, nutrition panels, and ingredient lists, was photographed and entered into the CMS database following strict data quality protocols.
Food products were categorized using the Global Food Monitoring Group’s (GFMG) standardized system, which methodically assesses and classifies processed foods globally. 1103 products were collected and mean, median, standard deviation, minimum and maximum values of sodium content (mg/100 g of product) were reported.
For more information on the study methodology, please see the data source below.
Citation: Charlton KE, Pretorius B, Shakhane R, et al. Compliance of the food industry with mandated salt target levels in South Africa: Towards development of a monitoring and surveillance framework. J Food Compos Anal. 2024;126:105908. doi:10.1016/j.jfca.2023.10590
Contact
Fraser Taylor
FoodSwitch Managing Director, The George Institute for Global Health
[email protected]
Institution leading data collection
The George Institute for Global Health, PO Box M20, Missenden Road, NSW 2050, Australia
2015-2016
| Nutrient types | Sodium | ||
| Products sampled | 11,065 |
Methods
Data on packaged food was obtained from an in-store survey of major retail stores (conducted in collaboration with South Africa’s largest health insurance company, Discovery) and crowdsourcing of food labels through the FoodSwitch mobile phone application. Photos of packaged food and beverage items were taken during by crowdsourced data collectors as well as by the in-store surveys in major retail stores in Johannesburg, such as Woolworths, Pick n Pay, Sparand Shoprite Checkers using the FoodSwitch app. Crowdsourced data were pooled nationally.
11,065 products were then sorted into 13 food categories for which mean, median, interquartile range minimum and maximum values of sodium content (mg/100 g of product) were reported.
Data source: The Sodium Content of Processed Foods in South Africa during the Introduction of Mandatory Sodium Limits
Citation: Peters SAE, Dunford E, Ware LJ, et al. The Sodium Content of Processed Foods in South Africa during the Introduction of Mandatory Sodium Limits.\_Nutrients. 2017;9(4):404. Published 2017 Apr 20. doi:10.3390/nu9040404
Contact
Fraser Taylor
FoodSwitch Managing Director, The George Institute for Global Health
[email protected]
Institution leading data collection
The George Institute for Global Health, PO Box M20, Missenden Road, NSW 2050, Australia