Sodexo launches industry-leading initiative – Smart Choice – to promote healthier snacking
Sodexo UK & Ireland is proud to introduce Smart Choice, an industry-first initiative developed to make healthier on-the-go snacking easier, more accessible, and smarter.
Responding to rising demand for healthier options, Smart Choice helps customers navigate the often-confusing world of healthy snacks. While many snacks appear to be healthier, they can still contain high levels of salt, fat, or sugar. Smart Choice removes the guesswork by highlighting genuinely healthy options.
Developed by Sodexo’s nutrition and dietetics team, Smart Choice brings greater transparency to food choices by following the government’s ‘traffic light’ system. This system clearly indicates if a product is high (red), medium (amber), or low (green) in fat, saturated fat, sugars, and salt.
The nutrition and dietetics team worked closely with its snack suppliers – such as Boka who sell high fibre snacks that display all green traffic lights on the front of their packs – to better understand its products and help customers clearly identify healthier snacks and drinks.
In order to be labelled a Smart Choice food or drink items should meet the following criteria:
- Fewer than 200 calories per portion.
- Have only amber or green traffic light rating, in line with Government Front of Pack Labelling.
- Red light traffic light rating only permitted if the nutrient is naturally occurring, such as the healthy fats found in nuts.
To make Smart Choice items easy to recognise, products are marked with distinctive branding and QR codes, allowing customers to scan for detailed nutritional information on the spot. Sodexo’s food ordering app, Everyday, also features a filter for Smart Choice items, making it simpler than ever to select healthier snacks, whether on-the-go or through click-and-collect.
Smart Choice does not limit the variety of snacks we offer; instead, it empowers customers to make informed decisions. This initiative aligns with Sodexo’s broader health and wellbeing strategy. As obesity rates continue to impact the UK’s healthcare system, Smart Choice offers a proactive solution, encouraging customers to make meaningful, healthier choices every day.
At Boka, our mission is to help people make healthier choices without compromising on taste. That’s why we think Smart Choice is a brilliant initiative. We’re pleased to partner with Sodexo taking such an innovative approach, and we are proud to be part of it.
Sodexo is committed to refining Smart Choice and making healthier snacking accessible for all and will continue to review and expand the healthy snack and drink offering for its customers through customer feedback, ongoing sales analysis, and partnership with suppliers.