Criteria for the Healthcare Retail Standard

Document details the criteria, rationale and scope of the Healthcare Retail Standard for all retail providers operating in the NHS in Scotland. This standard will become mandatory in accordance with CMO letter (2015)19. This has been updated since the fir


Annex A: Provision and Promotion Criteria

VEGETABLES AND FRUIT

ITEM

CRITERIA

PROVISION
(50% of all food for retail must meet these criteria)

PROMOTION

Fresh vegetables

Any

All plain varieties, including ready prepared

Canned vegetables

Any

Only vegetables with no added salt or sugar

Fresh fruit

Any

All plain varieties, including ready prepared

Canned fruit

Any

Only fruit with no added sugar or syrup

Frozen fruit and vegetables

Any

Only fruit and vegetables without added salt or sugar

Beans and pulses

Refer to Annex B - Nutrition Criteria

All plain varieties, including dried and frozen and canned without added salt or sugar

Canned beans and pulses in sauce, including baked beans in tomato sauce

Refer to Annex B - Nutrition Criteria

Only varieties that meet the following criteria:

  • No more than 5g sugar per 100g,
  • No more than 0.56g salt or 225mg sodium per 100g.

Pickled and preserved fruit and vegetables ( e.g. olives)

Refer to Annex B - Nutrition Criteria

No promotion

FOODS RICH IN STARCHY CARBOHYDRATES AND FIBRE

ITEM

CRITERIA

PROVISION
(50% of all food for retail must meet these criteria)

PROMOTION

Potatoes

Any

All plain fresh varieties (including sweet potatoes and yams), and canned potatoes with no added salt.

Oven chips and other potato products

Refer to Annex B - Nutrition Criteria

Only chilled and frozen chips and potato products that meet the following criteria:

  • No more than 5% total fat, and require no addition of fat in preparation
  • No more than 0.69g salt or 275mg sodium per 100g
  • Excludes crisps and snacks

Grains including rice, cous cous, bulgar wheat, polenta and quinoa

Refer to Annex B - Nutrition Criteria

All plain varieties of grains.

Excludes products with added ingredients.

Pasta and noodles

Refer to Annex B - Nutrition Criteria

All plain varieties of pasta and noodles.

Excludes products with added ingredients.

FISH

ITEM

CRITERIA

PROVISION
(50% of all food for retail must meet these criteria)

PROMOTION

Fresh and frozen oil rich fish

Refer to Annex B - Nutrition Criteria

All plain oil rich fish including salmon, mackerel, sardines, tuna.

Excludes smoked products and products with additions such as sauces, batters or crumbs.

Canned oil rich fish

Refer to Annex B - Nutrition Criteria

All varieties that meet the following criteria:

  • No more than 1.5g salt or 600mg sodium per 100g (maximum)
  • Excludes canned tuna because the essential fatty acids are largely removed in the canning process

Fresh and frozen white fish

Refer to Annex B - Nutrition Criteria

All plain white fish.

Excludes smoked products and products with additions such as sauces, batters or crumbs.

MEAT AND OTHER NON-DAIRY PROTEIN SOURCES

ITEM

CRITERIA

PROVISION
(50% of all food for retail must meet these criteria)

PROMOTION

Fresh, frozen and prepared lean white meat

Refer to Annex B - Nutrition Criteria

All plain products without added salt, sugar and fat.

Excludes products with additions such as sauces, batters or crumbs.

Fresh and frozen lean red meat

Products with no added ingredients and those that have not been processed

No promotion

Fresh, frozen and prepared vegetarian meat substitutes

Refer to Annex B - Nutrition Criteria

All plain products without added salt, sugar and fat.

Excludes products with additions such as sauces, batters or crumbs.

Processed meat and ready to eat meat snacks ( e.g. ham, reformed meats, pork pies and scotch eggs)

Refer to Annex B - Nutrition Criteria

No promotion

CHEESE

ITEM

CRITERIA

PROVISION
(50% of all food for retail must meet these criteria)

PROMOTION

Cheese and cheese products

( e.g. soft cheese, processed cheese products)

All varieties that meet the following:

  • 27g or less of fat per 100g

No promotion

Alternative to dairy products ( e.g. soya alternative to cheese)

All varieties that meet the following:

  • 27g or less of fat per 100g

No promotion

DESSERTS

ITEM

CRITERIA

PROVISION
(50% of all food for retail must meet these criteria)

PROMOTION

Plain unsweetened ( i.e. with no added sugar) yoghurt

All plain yoghurt containing no more than 3g per 100g fat.

All plain yoghurt containing no more than 3g per 100g fat.

Sweetened and flavoured yoghurt

Must contain 3g or less of fat per 100g and 16g or less of sugar per 100g. For portions more than 100g they must contain 18.8g or less of sugar.

Only products containing no more than 3g per 100g fat and 10g per 100g sugars.

All other desserts ( e.g. mousse, sundaes, jellies, rice pudding products, frozen yoghurt)

Refer to Annex B - Nutrition Criteria

No promotion

SOFT DRINKS, FLAVOURED WATER, FRUIT JUICE & FLAVOURED MILK

ITEM

CRITERIA

PROVISION
(70% of all drinks for retail must meet these criteria)

PROMOTION

Fruit juice

For drinks 70% must be sugar free (0.5g /100ml or less); up to 30% can contain sugar by number of SKUs. If fruit juice is provided it must be part of the 30% provision.

Milkshakes with no added sugar (check ingredients list) are part of the 70%.

No promotion

Carbonated or still flavoured drinks ( e.g. cola, lemonade, etc.)

No promotion

Cold flavoured milk drinks ( e.g. milk shakes)

No promotion

Sugar free drinks

For drinks at least 70% must be sugar free (0.5g or less of sugar per 100ml) by number of SKUs.

Only sugar free drinks containing 0.5g or less of sugar per 100ml.

Excludes drinks containing more than 150mg caffeine per litre, where manufacturers are required to declare "High Caffeine Content" on the packaging, in accordance with food labelling regulations [2]

Milk and milk alternatives

( e.g. soya, almond, coconut)

Only plain skimmed, 1% and semi skimmed milk

Only plain skimmed, 1% and semi skimmed milk

Water

Plain or flavoured (still and sparkling) sugar free waters containing 0.5g or less of sugar per 100g/ml.

Plain or flavoured (still and sparkling) sugar free waters containing 0.5g or less of sugar per 100g/ml.

Tea and coffee - Ready to drink ( e.g. includes chilled tea and coffee)

Any as long as one of the following is available skimmed, 1% and semi skimmed milk and excludes those with added sugar or sugary syrup, cream or cream substitutes.

No promotion

COMPOSITE PRODUCTS

ITEM

CRITERIA

PROVISION
(50% of all food for retail must meet these criteria)

PROMOTION

Pasta sauces

Refer to Annex B - Nutrition Criteria

Only tomato or vegetable based sauces containing no more than 0.93g salt or 370mg sodium per 100g.

Ready meals and takeaway dishes

Refer to Annex B - Nutrition Criteria

Refer to Annex B- Nutrition Criteria

Soup

Refer to Annex B - Nutrition Criteria

Vegetable and / or pulse ( e.g. lentil) based soups that contain no more than 0.63g salt or 250mg sodium per 100g as consumed ( i.e. not as dried). Excludes creamed soups.

Prepared salad dishes with a carbohydrate base e.g. potatoes, pasta, rice or couscous

Refer to Annex B - Nutrition Criteria

Refer to Annex B- Nutrition Criteria

Hummus and other dips

Refer to Annex B - Nutrition Criteria

No promotion

Sandwiches, wraps, filled rolls baguettes

Refer to Annex B - Nutrition Criteria

Only products that meet the following criteria:

  • contains salad/vegetables,
  • no more than 400 kcals per serving/ pack,
  • no more than 1.8g salt or 720mg of sodium per portion.

Bread

Refer to Annex B - Nutrition Criteria

All plain bread and rolls containing no more than 1.13g salt or 450mg sodium per 100g . Excludes bread and rolls with additional ingredients such as olives, cheese and sundried tomatoes.

Wholemeal bread should always be included in any bread promotion.

Other baked goods including pastries, cakes, tarts, tray bakes, pies, doughnuts and scones

Refer to Annex B - Nutrition Criteria

No promotion

Composite savoury snacks ( e.g. packs containing crackers, cheese and ham)

Refer to Annex B - Nutrition Criteria

No promotion

Rolled oats, oatmeal and barley

Refer to Annex B - Nutrition Criteria

All plain varieties

Excludes products with added ingredients

Breakfast cereals (includes porridge pots)

Products must contain:

  • 22.5g or less of sugar per 100g,
  • 1.5g or less of salt per 100g, and
  • more than 5g of fibre per 100g.

Products must contain:

  • no more than 10g sugar/100g,
  • no more than 1g salt or 400mg sodium per 100g (max).

SNACKS

ITEM

CRITERIA

PROVISION
(50% of all food for retail must meet these criteria)

PROMOTION

Sweet and savoury snacks (includes crisps, cereal bars, rice cakes, nuts, breadsticks and popcorn)

Refer to Annex B - Nutrition Criteria and in addition all sweet and savoury products intended for single serves should be no more than 38g pack.

No promotion

Confectionery and ice cream products

Refer to Annex B - Nutrition Criteriaa

No promotion (excludes sugar-free chewing gum only).

Biscuits (includes crackers, oatcakes)

Refer to Annex B - Nutrition Criteria

No promotion

Plain dried fruit and plain dried fruit with veg products

Any (but portion size should be limited to 35g and excludes those with any added ingredients).

Only as part of a Meal Deal (but portion size should be limited to 35g and excludes those with any added ingredients).

Dried fruit products with added ingredients ( e.g. yoghurt coated raisins, products with added fruit juice or nuts)

Refer to Annex B - Nutrition Criteria. Portion size limited to 35g

No promotion

OTHER GROCERIES

ITEM

CRITERIA

PROVISION
(50% of all food for retail must meet these criteria)

PROMOTION

Packaged tea bags, coffee, sugar, hot chocolate powder, honey, jam, mayonnaise, mustard etc.

Refer to Annex B - Nutrition Criteria

No promotion

Fresh eggs

Refer to Annex B - Nutrition Criteria

No promotion

Cream/cream fraiche/sour cream

Refer to Annex B - Nutrition Criteria

No promotion

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