2007年VOA标准英语-Nutrition, Star System Aids Grocery Shoppers
搜索关注在线英语听力室公众号：tingroom，领取免费英语资料大礼包。
（单词翻译）
By Carol PearsonWashington
11 September 2007
People the world over are buying more processed and packaged foods, sometimes with unwanted side effects: foods high in salt, sugar and fat. But a supermarket chain based in the northeastern U.S. state of Maine decided1 to rank the food it sells based on nutritional2 value, and, as VOA's Carol Pearson reports, shoppers responded.
It takes some insight and understanding to read most food labels and figure out the nutritional value. So one supermarket chain in United States decided to take the guesswork out of shopping for nutrition-minded consumers.
 |
| Poster inside store explains food rating system. Foods with 3 stars are the best |
Spokeswoman Caren Epstein says it has made a difference in what shoppers are buying. "When given a choice between a product with stars and one without stars, customers consistently choose the one with stars."
Hannaford ranked more than 25,000 food products. After 12 months, the company found the greatest impact was in the packaged foods. Shoppers bought cereals, bread, pastas and soup with stars two and a half times more often than similar foods without stars. Sales of lean ground beef went up seven percent, while sales of fattier ground beef went down by five percent. The company saw sales of fat-free milk increase and sales of whole milk decrease.
 |
| Caren Epstein |
Hannaford determined3 the star ratings system with the help of a scientific advisory4 panel. The store says it plans to expand the star ratings on other foods in the near future.
And the trend seems to be catching5 on. Another grocery chain, this one in Florida, is now using the star system and others are considering the move as well.
