Welcome to Coretalk

It’s hard to believe that the healthyliving award is enjoying its fifth birthday this year.  Five years on and the award continues to grow, with over 1400 awards now presented and more and more businesses progressing on to the healthyliving award plus.

As we reflect on our first five years it is also important that we look forward. 

In this edition of Coretalk you can read about our plans for the coming months. And as we look ahead, it is fitting that the healthyliving award itself has been recognised for the important work that we are doing; read more in our Nibbles section.

What’s cooking?

Five years on and looking to the future

Five years on from the beginning of the healthyliving award, it’s a good chance to look back at the sheer variety of sites that have gained the award over that period. See our selection of photos of just a few of our award winners here.

Looking to the future, new European legislation on health claims labelling has compelled us to make changes to the way in which healthier options are promoted to customers, and work to introduce these changes is well underway.

Eight pilot sites are currently testing the revised criteria, and will soon go through a mock assessment when minor changes to the assessment process and paperwork will be tried out.

Caterers at the pilot sites will then complete a feedback questionnaire to give us their thoughts on the whole process and bring to light any difficulties. This will give us an opportunity to make any changes necessary before the new criteria and assessment process are finalised.

The new rules mean that caterers will no longer be able to highlight healthier choices on the menu, so we are seeking new ways to promote healthy eating within catering establishments. More emphasis will be placed on the overall award branding, which will remain, as well as on key messages for caterers to convey to their customers.

We have engaged a creative agency to develop these key messages, which will highlight the changes that businesses have made to the food they serve, as well as what they’ve done to achieve the award.

This agency is working with the pilot sites to come up with ideas that will work effectively in real settings. They are also busy developing attractive new resources that caterers can use to promote the fact that they hold the award, as well as advertising concepts aimed at caterers and consumers.

We plan to re-launch the award with all the changes in place in the autumn. We will then be pushing ahead to encourage even more caterers to come on board, coupled with a new campaign to raise awareness among consumers.
We look forward to the next five years, with an even stronger and better award for caterers in Scotland!

 

 

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issue nineteen:
August 2011
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The healthyliving awardNHS Health Scotland - Scotland's health improvement agencyHealthier Scotland - Scottish GovernmentHealthier Scotland - Scottish Government