Sandwich survey brings labelling call

A CONSUMER group has made a renewed call for clearer food labelling after finding that takeaway sandwiches can contain three times the amount of fat as the same filling elsewhere.

The Which? investigation found that fat and salt levels varied widely across the same sandwich flavour at different shops, with some containing double the amount of salt as the equivalent bought elsewhere.

Inconsistent labelling across stores meant the healthier option was not always obvious, the watchdog found.

A Morrisons chicken salad sandwich contained 11.7g of fat (amber or medium on recommended daily intake panels) compared with one from Waitrose which contained 6g. While Waitrose used the traffic lights labelling system, Morrisons did not, Which? found.

A Lidl BLT had 3.36g salt (red/high) but one from Boots contained 1.5g salt (amber/medium), with Boots using traffic lights but Lidl opting not to.

And an Aldi egg mayonnaise sandwich contained 22.3g fat (red/high) while one from Asda contained 10.1g (amber/medium), with traffic lights only used on the Asda packaging.

Which? said the results showed “huge scope” for some retailers to reduce the fat, saturated fat and salt content of their sandwiches, but also the need for traffic lights labelling to be applied across the food industry to provide consistency and allow shoppers to make informed choices.