Tools- of Changes

The Whole Grain Revolution! How Denmark Changed the Diet – and Health – of an Entire Nation

The Danish Whole Grain Partnership brought together NGOs and industry to promote whole grain foods, more than doubling whole grain consumption and achieving the highest intake in Europe.)

1. Early on, the Partnership created an orange logo to distinguish products high in whole grains. In 2010, the logo was being used with 190 products; by 2019, that number had risen to 1,097 products. In 2024 a survey found that seven out of 10 Danes recognized the logo. The logo makes it easier for shoppers to find whole grains products. It also gives the labelled products a competitive advantage and incentivizes businesses to develop and reformulate healthy products.
2. To reach Danes who avoided these whole grain products, the partnership encouraged producers to use at least some whole grain flour in all their products. Most producers began with 3% and gradually increased to 7-9%
3. Over time, the government revised its official dietary guidelines accordingly. In 2009, it recommended four servings of whole grains a day. That target was increased to 75g a day in 2013, and to 90g a day in 2024.
4. When the partnership began in 2008, Danes ate an average of 36g of whole grains a day. By 2019, they were eating 82g, the highest intake in Europe. In contrast, the average Briton was eating 20g a day, and one in five didn’t eat any whole grains. In the US, just 15% of grain consumption was from whole grains, while dietary guidelines recommended at least 50%.