How to Find Healthier Alternatives to Your Favourite Grocery Products

Most of us buy the same products week after week without questioning whether there is a better option on the shelf right next to it. This guide shows you exactly how to find healthier alternatives quickly and without spending hours reading labels.

Why your usual products might not be the best choice

Food manufacturers spend millions making their products look healthy on the outside. Words like natural, low fat, and wholesome appear on packaging that, when you read the actual ingredient list, tells a very different story.

The reality is that most shoppers do not have the time or nutritional knowledge to decode a food label in the middle of a supermarket aisle. That is where a health rating system makes a real difference.

What the A to E rating system tells you

The A to E health rating system scores products based on their overall nutritional quality, taking into account calories, sugar, salt, saturated fat, fibre, protein, and the presence of additives. It gives you an instant summary without needing to analyse every number yourself.

A Excellent High nutritional quality, minimal processing, no concerning additives.
B Good Generally healthy with minor concerns.
C Mediocre Acceptable but room for improvement.
D Poor Significant nutritional concerns.
E Bad Low nutritional quality, high in sugar, salt, or additives.

See instant A to E ratings on any product

SustiScan scans any barcode and gives you an instant health rating, plus suggests a healthier alternative in the same category.

Try SustiScan Free Learn more about healthier alternatives

How to swap products without sacrificing taste

The best approach is category by category. Rather than overhauling your entire shopping list at once, focus on one product category at a time, starting with the items you buy most frequently.

Breakfast cereals: Often high in sugar despite healthy sounding names. Look for options with less than 5g of sugar per 100g.
Yoghurt: Flavoured yoghurts can contain as much sugar as a dessert. Plain Greek yoghurt is almost always a better rated alternative.
Bread: Wholegrain options consistently outperform white bread on health ratings.
Sauces and dressings: Often overlooked but frequently high in salt, sugar, and additives.

SustiScan tip

When you scan a product that scores D or E, SustiScan automatically suggests a better rated alternative in the same category so you do not have to search the shelf yourself.

The three step approach to smarter grocery shopping

The simplest way to start eating healthier without major disruption to your routine is to follow this approach on your next shop.

Step 1: Scan before you buy — Before putting a product in your basket, scan the barcode and check the rating.
Step 2: Check the alternative — If the product scores poorly, see what SustiScan suggests as a healthier swap in the same category.
Step 3: Make one swap per shop — You do not need to change everything at once. One better choice per shopping trip adds up quickly.

Ready to start making smarter swaps?

SustiScan is available in 180 plus countries and works on products from supermarkets worldwide.

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