From Individual Nutrients to Sustainable Nutrition

World Rev Nutr Diet. 2020:121:73-80. doi: 10.1159/000507512. Epub 2020 Oct 6.

Abstract

Unilever is helping people to improve their health and wellbeing. Clear time-bound nutrition targets have been committed to in our Unilever Sustainable Living Plan and progress is reported annually. Our commitment to nutrition focusses on delivering products that are responsibly delicious and we inspire people to consume more nutritious diets. We developed our nutritional standards for reformulation, addressing the relevant nutrients of concern: saturated fat, trans fat, sodium, and sugar. In addition, we provide essential vitamins and minerals via our products, using a variety of high-quality ingredients or by adding micronutrients to commonly eaten foods via fortification. We are dialing up on plant-based offerings, like plant-based meat alternatives, dairy-free ice cream, and solutions for more plant-based meals. We empower people to consume more nutritious diets through our recipes and behavior change programs. We launched the Future 50 program that highlights 50 nutritious, plant-based ingredients for a more sustainable food system, which can be incorporated into daily meals. We run campaigns to inspire people to cook more nutritious meals, an example includes the program around our iron-fortified bouillon in Nigeria and Kenya. Reformulation and innovation do not come without challenges. We must consider the functionality of nutrients in the product, regulatory limitations, and consumer demand. The call for sustainable diets is clear and to make the dietary shift happen, as is needed for healthy diets within the boundaries of the planet, a strong multi-stakeholder approach is needed.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Developing Countries
  • Diet, Healthy / methods*
  • Food, Fortified
  • Humans
  • Internationality
  • Kenya
  • Malnutrition / prevention & control*
  • Nigeria
  • Nutrients / therapeutic use*
  • Nutrition Policy*
  • Nutritional Requirements*
  • Nutritional Status
  • Nutritive Value
  • Sustainable Development / legislation & jurisprudence*