Sainsbury’s new full on fibre labels hit 500 products as shoppers struggle to identify fruit as fibre source

UK – Sainsbury’s has introduced Full on Fibre labelling across more than 500 products, including oats, beans, broccoli, and new veggie burgers, after research found only 52% of shoppers recognise fruit as a source of fibre and just 58% identify pulses.

The labelling will also feature on new summer products including Mediterranean Style Veg Burgers and Spiced Mixed Nuts & Seeds with Apple Granola. 

Simon Roberts, chief executive of Sainsbury’s, stated that healthy eating should not feel difficult or complex, but for many families it does, and that the company wants to change that by making healthy everyday essentials great value and tackling the confusion so customers can eat well without having to think too hard about it.

The Package as a Nutrition Teacher

A product package is the last touchpoint before purchase. 

A fibre claim printed on the front of a cereal box or bean can serves as a reassurance at the moment of decision, without requiring a smartphone scan or website visit. 

For a parent shopping for a family, seeing “Full on Fibre” on a package of baked beans communicates that this product supports digestive health, potentially influencing the purchase decision over a competitor’s brand. 

The labelling uses the package’s surface area to educate shoppers who may not know which foods contain fibre.

Making Healthy Eating Affordable

Over 100 Full on Fibre products currently feature in Aldi Price Match or Nectar Price, meaning fibre-rich options are priced competitively against discounters. 

Sainsbury’s has achieved healthy sales above the industry average for several years, a metric tracking the proportion of sales from products higher in nutrition and lower in fat, sugar, and salt. 

The supermarket pioneered traffic light calorie labelling in 2005 and has advocated for mandatory reporting across retail and out-of-home sectors. 

The new fibre labelling addresses a specific nutrient gap: most UK adults do not meet the recommended 30g of fibre per day.

Closing the Knowledge Gap

The research finding that only 52% recognise fruit as a fibre source and only 58% recognise pulses suggests basic nutrition literacy has gaps. 

A shopper who does not know that beans contain fibre may not seek them out; the Full on Fibre label educates at the point of sale. 

Sainsbury’s ambition is to add thousands of tonnes of fibre and millions of extra portions of fruit and veg to family meals across the UK.

The labelling will feature on new products launching this summer.

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