Confectionery giants Cadbury Trebor Bassett and Masterfoods UK have made the first moves towards health warnings on chocolate bars following concerns about growing obesity levels, it was reported on Saturday.
The companies -- rivals in Britain's lucrative multi-billion-pound confectionery market -- have agreed to print the words "Be Treatwise" on the front of packaging in Britain and Ireland, a number of British newspapers said.
Cadbury Trebor Bassett makes the best-selling Dairy Milk bar while Masterfoods UK owns the Mars brand.
The "Treatwise" initiative is an educational web site produced by British industry body the Biscuit, Cake, Chocolate and Confectionery Association and gives information on exercise and diet.
Both companies will carry "guideline daily amount" information on the calorie, sugar, fat, saturates and salt content of their products plus a reference to a web site, www.betreatwise.org.uk.
The Guardian reported that the 10-million-pound (14.6-million-euro, 17.6-million-dollar) initiative will have "rotating" health warnings similar to those currently found on cigarette packets in the coming months.
The Financial Times quoted Trish Fields, director of consumer impact at Cadbury Trebor Bassett's parent company Cadbury Schweppes, as saying: "We're actually helping the government get the message across on balance.
{{/usCountry}}The Financial Times quoted Trish Fields, director of consumer impact at Cadbury Trebor Bassett's parent company Cadbury Schweppes, as saying: "We're actually helping the government get the message across on balance.
{{/usCountry}}"The traditional disciplines around food have changed."
British health officials have made a number of moves in recent years to combat growing fears of obesity epidemic among children and the adult population.
Three-quarters of adults are now either overweight or obese while a report last year showed that from 1995 to 2002, the percentage of children who were either overweight or obese increased from 22.7 per cent to 27.7 per cent.