Comparing Products – Alex Card
Items to Compare
Product name
First impressions: aimed at?
healthy option? Other
thoughts?
Comment on marketing
messages and images
Product 1 (P1) Product 2 (P2) Comment on the differences P1-P2
Dr. Coy's Organic OXO Flavour
Vegetable Oil Bouillon Vegetable Stock
Stock
Certified organic by Typical flavouring P1 offers a product directed to customers looking for a healthy
EFSA, aimed at general stock, artificial option on flavouring, organic and straightforward ingredients,
use for cooking, build ingredients, values with less package. In contrast, P2 shows an easy achievement
stock flavour or for taste and traditional of a strong flavour, like a escape to a lack of proper ingredient
sauces, purées and presentation (5.9g per diversity when cooking, as the stock’s artificial flavour will be
other preparations cube, 12 cubes, overwhelming, thus, the conceptual claim is addressing two
that require an added packaged individually). different groups of clients. P2 is extremely caloric too, and it
kick of seasoning 271kcal. Aimed at comes with a long list of industrially processed ingredients,
(150g tube). 81kcal. sauces, purées, creams, additives and sugars at first sight. Both look as something one’d
Minimal branding, no building stock flavour. use for general occasions.
plastic, it frames itself
as wholefood, organic
sources and
ingredients.
Moved towards a
nutritionally aware
client.
Image of fresh clear No direct message, it P1 branding flows with the idea of a product for a client aware of
drawings of the comes as a minimal what they eat, trying to accompany that journey producing a nice
vegetable ingredients, branding, quite eye- condiment without additives and approved by food authorities. In
showing how simple catching due to the comparison, P2 just tells what’s inside and what you can cook
their recipe is, valuing green flat colour with it, relating it to a sense of quotidian flavour for anyone
transparency. Use the design implying it’s a who’d like to have that specific taste.
motto ‘Positive eating’, daily use product, or
with earthy something one’d use
ingredients suggesting for general occasions.
the concept of a
straight from the
 Comparing Products – Alex Card

Items to Compare Product 1 (P1) Product 2 (P2) Comment on the differences P1-P2
source trustworthy
product. Vegan
friendly.

First 3 ingredients listed Sea Salt, Dried Salt, Potato Starch, P1 starts with a salt (the nature of the product is seasoning) with
Organic Carrot, Onion WHEAT Flour (With higher trace minerals contents than ordinary table salt, and
Added Calcium, Iron, continues into the vegetables dried and organic. In contrast, P2
Niacin, Thiamin) starts and continues with ultra-processed items, including
refined salt, and starches and flour (from potato and wheat)
which are basically different presentations of sugar as it will get
digested into glucose by the body. It’s noticeable that P2
immediately specifies the fortification of the flour, as by the
industrial processes used these nutrients, vitamins and minerals,
got eliminated and thus are legally required to be replaced,
being a sign of a highly industrialised, refined item.
How many ingredients? Sea Salt, Dried Organic Salt, Potato Starch, P1 uses just organic dried herbs and sea salt, vs P2 that
(include additives) Vegetable (45%): WHEAT Flour (With includes a wide variety of sugars, extracts, palm oil, MSG, as
Carrot*, Onion*, Added Calcium, Iron, additives and enhancers of flavour, which leads to think P1 is a
Parsnip*, Chive*, Kale*, Niacin, Thiamin), food-based organic condiment while P2 is a flavour-first artificial
Parsley*, Lovage Root*, Dried Glucose Syrup, seasoning.
Garlic*, Lovage leaves*, Flavour Enhancers
Coriander*, Turmeric*, (Monosodium
Fennel*, Fenugreek*, Glutamate, Disodium
Caraway*, Ginger*, 5'-Ribonucleotides),
Sweet Pepper*, Onion Extract,
Cinnamon* Chilli*, Flavourings, Palm Oil,
Nutmeg*, Fenugreek Yeast Extract
seed* Caraway*, (Contains BARLEY),
Pimento*, Dill* Tomato Powder,
(* Organic) Herbs (Parsley, Bay,
Thyme), Sugar, Black
Pepper Extract.

Items to Compare
How many different forms of
sugar? List them.
List any additives as their
category + E-number or
chemical name
a) Total carbs (g)
b) ..of which sugars (g)
(per 100g)
Comparing Products – Alex Card
Product 1 (P1) Product 2 (P2) Comment on the differences P1-P2
If any, naturally Sugar Sugars in P1 are naturally occurring, or proper to the vegetables
occurring sugars in Potato Starch they use, vs P2’s list which favours punching flavour and
vegetables. No added WHEAT Flour aftertaste using different forms of sugar in the form of starches
sugars, sweeteners (fortified) white sugar and flours (complex carbs composed of polymers of
nor syrups. Dried Glucose Syrup simple sugar, glucose) and glucose syrup.
No additives. No Monosodium P2 has an additive battery that P1 doesn’t include, focusing
gluten. Glutamate (MSG) flavour, texture, consistency and colour results from refined,
E621 (flavour processed means instead of straightforward ingredients.
enhancer), Disodium
5'-Ribonucleotides
(I+G) E635 (flavour
enhancer),
Onion Extract (Note:
discussable, but I’d
include it as additive
for comparison aims
when considered an
artificial flavouring
additive instead of a
proper ingredient:
compare to organic
dried onion powder in
P1), Palm Oil E471
(lubricant, emulsifier)
A, 10g A, 49.1g P2 almost 5 times more carb content than P1, and much more
B, 9g B, 10.9g sugar in different varieties than P1, but due to the way P2 is
incorporating sugar on the label with other sources, it gets
camouflaged (as all syrups, starches, flour will turn into glucose
when digested), also considering their high glycaemic index. P1
doesn’t follow this sugar embellishment strategy.
 Comparing Products – Alex Card

Items to Compare Product 1 (P1) Product 2 (P2) Comment on the differences P1-P2
Dietary Fibre (g) 11.6g 0.8g P1 has almost 11 times more fibre than P2, due to the vegetable
content mainly

Protein (g) 6.4g 7.9g P2 has approx +1g more of protein than P1

Total fat (g) 1.4g, of which 4.6g, of which P2 more than doubles the amount of fats in P1, derived from
(omega 3 mentioned?) saturate fats 0.3g saturate fats 2.2g palm oil mainly

Nutrition claim? What? Organic (as such No direct nutrition P1 addresses a healthy nutritional suggestion by branding it as
implying a nutritious claim wholefood. P2 has no nutritional claim.
advantage
recognisable by the
customer), no sugar,
no gluten, high in
fibre.

Health claim? What? Gluten Free & free No direct health claim P1 uses the consequence of utilising core organic ingredients
from yeast, starch, without additives as a health claim for prevention or avoidance
MSG, HPV & palm oil. of food-related and digestive issues, allergies, intolerances
Health claim from the
nutritional claim
implies it’s a healthy
option without
additives.

Cost of each product 4.99€ Ranges from 2.34€ to P2 could be found approx 2€ more affordable than P1 in some
6.79€ in different locations
stores

Items to Compare
Which product offers better
nutritional value for money?
Anything else to compare
between the products?
Final impressions…?
Comparing Products – Alex Card
Product 1 (P1) Product 2 (P2) Comment on the differences P1-P2
P1 is higher in protein It has less nutritional Regarding both are seasonings, this includes natural food
fibre and less carbs value as per € of sources with less preservatives in P1. P1 offers more interesting
and fats, no artificial materials due to the sources of nutrition, less industrialised, for things I’d be paying in
sugars, no additives fact many of its P2 I’d not like to include in my body, as additives and
and other chemicals. ingredients are not condensed, diverse sugar presentations. Usage of extracts in P2
The customer would proper food items but instead of proper raw ingredients suggests the client is not
be buying food items industrialised extracts looking for a healthy nutritious option but for a precise flavour,
instead of extracts. mainly offering a texture or aftertaste.
Trace minerals from concentrated dosage
sea salt are an added of salt, sugar and
nutritional value when flavouring umami
buying specifically a agents.
seasoning.
Uses no independent Uses plastic.
cube packages, more Individual envelopes.
aware on the Food miles
ecological impact. (international delivery,
Recyclable tube. multiple prices).
Organic agriculture.
Organic vegetables, A cube with 271kcal, Similar products, different intentions: P1 addresses a
dried and sea salt dense in additives and nutritionally aware client, P2 calls for a flavour explosion that
delivers a more sugars runs the danger of being a substitution of more nourishing
sustainable nutrition ingredients in the same dish as flavour is achieved anyway.
offer, expected flavour
of what ingredients
would taste like.
Sensation of a certain
degree of care from
marketing and
production to
customer’s health.
 Comparing Products – Alex Card

Items to Compare Product 1 (P1) Product 2 (P2) Comment on the differences P1-P2
Which product could you I’d recommend P1 as
suggest (if at all?) To a healthier option of a
whom? Why? stock base, for a
general use of soup
cooking, sauces,
stews etc... it may be
suitable for someone
who wants to add salt
and some dried
organic veggies and
spices to enhance the
flavour of their meal. It
can be used in raw
food, to cook other
warm tokens. A
similar direction of
usage as P2, but with
less digestive
consequences
derived from
additives, sugars (as
flours, syrups and
starches), palm oil
and MSG or I+G.
Regarding quality, it
contains no additives
and refined sugars,
inversely to P2,
substances which are
related to many
metabolic diseases,
cancer, changes in
flora, coating of the
 Comparing Products – Alex Card

Items to Compare Product 1 (P1) Product 2 (P2) Comment on the differences P1-P2
intestines, cognitive
decay, bowel irritation.
It’s recyclable.

Name: __________Alex Card_________________ Date: ______Mon 9 Dic 2023_________________________

I confirm that this is my own work and that all resource sources are fully acknowledged.

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Using this form, compare and contrast nutritional values of two products, of three different types (6 products in all). You will need three forms: a separate form for
each of the three product types.

You first need to decide which 3 product types to look at. You might choose e.g. 1) Breakfast cereals, 2) Breads, 3) Spreads. (Other product types could be
snacks, sweet drinks, canned fish, frozen dinners, crispbreads/crackers, yoghurts, baby foods, salad dressings, etc, etc). So, you might find your 2 cereal packs first
(more interesting if you contrast one that's obviously full of sugar with another that looks pretty good, e.g. Coco Pops versus Weetabix).

Then, using the labels on each pack, complete the form provided, item by item.

For each pair of products, you should end up with a fairly clear idea of which would be a better choice to suggest to others, and why.