How ‘free from’ and ‘organic’ claims dominate baby food marketing in NZ

By Tarun Sai LomteReviewed by Susha Cheriyedath, M.Sc.Aug 27 2025

From "no added sugar" to "organic goodness," infant and toddler foods in New Zealand are overloaded with promotional claims, many of which may mislead parents and blur the line between marketing and nutrition.

Study: Cluttered with claims: Composition, nutrition, health and marketing claims on commercial infant and toddler foods in New Zealand. Image Credit: banjongseal324SS / Shutterstock

In a recent study published in the journal Nutrition & Dietetics, researchers found that all commercial toddler and infant food products in New Zealand had multiple on-pack claims.

Nutrition in the first 1,000 days of life can influence health and well-being. Early life is a period of rapid growth and could shape healthy eating patterns. Therefore, optimal nutrition in early childhood is central to healthy growth, development, and well-being. The Nutrient and Promotion Profile Model (NPPM) of the World Health Organization provides a framework for developing effective policy and legal measures to ensure the sale of appropriate toddler and infant foods.

NPPM recommends that commercial toddler and infant foods not carry nutrition, health, composition, or marketing claims. The paper highlights a key regulatory gap, as the current Australia-New Zealand Food Standards Code does not address marketing claims (such as those related to taste or convenience). Infant and toddler food labeling has been identified as an area of concern by the Food Regulation Standing Committee (FRSC) of New Zealand and Australia, as caregivers struggle to determine which foods align with the Healthy Eating Guidelines for New Zealand Babies and Toddlers.

About the study

The present study aimed to identify on-pack claims on commercial toddler and infant foods in New Zealand. First, all relevant toddler and infant food products were identified through the Nutritrack database. Data were annually collected from four major supermarket chains in New Zealand. Images of foods and beverages were taken, and data from the photos were entered into a database. To account for products new to the market since the last data collection, this was supplemented by an online supermarket search in January 2024, which identified 21 additional products. Products were classified into 59 categories and 15 food groups.

The study used products categorized as baby foods, which included products indicated on-pack as intended for toddlers and infants. Additionally, the food groups of dairy and snack foods were examined to identify other foods suitable for toddlers and infants. Infant products were defined as those intended for ages < 12 months. Toddler products were those designed for ages 12 to <36 months. Infant formulas, toddler milks, and follow-on formulas were excluded from the analysis.

The identified products were stratified into 14 food categories or subcategories based on the NPPM. The presence/absence of nutrition, composition, marketing, and health claims was identified. Descriptive statistics were performed to analyze the frequency of claims by food category and overall. The frequency of products with imagery of fruits or vegetables was also examined.

Findings

The researchers identified 210 toddler and infant food products. These included 43 toddler products and 167 infant products. Most products (35%) were vegetable and fruit purees, followed by snacks and finger foods (28%), and savory meals (24%). On average, each product had 7.5 unique claims. All products carried a marketing claim, 19% featured a health claim, and 99% had a nutrition or composition claim.

Nutrition and composition claims were the most common, with an average of four claims per product, followed by marketing claims (3.3 claims) and health claims (0.2 claims). Further, “free from” claims, relating to the absence of ingredients generally perceived to be harmful, were the most prevalent nutrition or composition claims found on 97% of products; “free from” claims most commonly referred to added sugars, flavors, colors, salt, and preservatives.

Approximately 68% of products featured words such as "fresh," "organic," "natural," or "real" on their packaging. Most products with a health claim were found in the dry cereals and starches (77%) and snacks and finger foods (34%) categories. The most common health claim was related to beneficial health and development, and these claims were more than twice as prevalent on toddler foods (found on 33% of products) compared to infant foods (15%). The most common marketing claims were related to ideal texture, taste, optimum feeding, high quality, and lifestyle or convenience.

Further, 58% of products featured images of fruits, 88% of which contained processed fruit sugars. The percentage of fruit in products with fruit imagery ranged from 0% to 100%. One-fifth of products with fruit imagery had less than 5% fruit. Vegetable images were found on the packaging of 36% of products. Most products were savory meals or purees, containing an average of 49% vegetables. Beyond imagery, the study also found that the product names themselves were often misleading. For 27% of products, the name did not accurately reflect the ingredients in the order they appear. For example, a product named ‘Organic Lamb and Garden Vegetables’ implied that lamb was the main ingredient, when in fact it contained only 10% lamb compared to 90% vegetables.

Conclusions

Commercial foods for infants and toddlers in New Zealand were saturated with claims, with all products featuring at least three unique claims. Composition and nutrition claims were the most common category. Marketing claims were also common, while health claims were less frequent. One-fourth of products featured all three categories of claims.

Besides, a combined 88% of products featured vegetable and/or fruit imagery. Similar types and numbers of claims were found on infant and toddler foods, except for health claims that were more prevalent on toddler foods. The paper notes that previous research confirms these claims can be powerful, with one study finding that ‘free from’ claims can promote inaccurate perceptions of a product's healthiness and influence purchasing choices. Overall, regulations are needed to restrict the use of claims and align them with best practices, thereby preventing caregivers from being misled by these promotional messages.