Myth #4: Serving sizes will be manipulated to mislead consumers as to the proportion of energy or nutrients that a serve represents.

Reality Check:  The Australian Food and Grocery Council recognises that this possibility needs to be addressed and has done so through:

• an agreement regarding serving size principles, and
• specific agreements within certain categories.

The principles (see below) recognise that items intended as single serves should be so designated and that multiple serve products should be a reasonable multiple of the single serve.

For example, the beverage industry has agreed that product up to and including 600ml should be designated single serves and that above that size, a single serve shall be 250ml.

AFGC SERVING SIZE PRINCIPLES

It is the manufacturer’s responsibility to determine the serving size for a food or beverage product, but they must reflect the agreed industry serving size principles developed by the AFGC as follows:

• When determining serving sizes consideration should be given to authoritative nutrition guidance (for example, Australian Dietary Guidelines, Australian Guide to Healthy Eating).
• The serving size should be realistic and should consider eating habits across the day, as part of a healthy diet.
• Single serve items should be cognisant of the target market (for example adults or children).
• If a product is packed in such a way that is can be reasonably expected to be consumed by the target consumer in one eating occasion, then the pack size should be the serving size.
• For multi serve products with recognisable portion units (for example, slices of bread) serving sizes should be communicated with references to these units (for example, serving size 74g – 2 slices). For all other multi serve products manufacturers should consider the use of additional terminology to communicate the serving size to consumers (for example, serving size 74g – ½ cup).
• Serving sizes must not be used inappropriately to manipulate the energy or nutrient content per serving.
• Serving sizes must not promote over-consumption.