• Google/AP, Thursday, September 6, 2007 11:45 AM

New England supermarket chain Hannaford Bros. says its gold-star rating system aimed at helping shoppers make healthier choices is working, and that sales of items that earn at least one out of three stars outpace products that have no stars.

The difference is greatest among packaged foods, including cereal, canned goods, bakery items and snack foods. Hannaford says those products that received stars grew 2 1/2 times faster than similar items deemed less healthy. Only a few food areas, including seafood, showed no change.

Data suggests consumers are using the program. Star-rated frozen dinners grew 4 1/2 times faster than unstarred ones, and breakfast cereals with stars grew 3 1/2 times faster than other cereals. Among other findings, sales of star-rated ground beef grew 7%, while other ground beef declined 5%. Fat-free milk grew 1%, while whole milk dropped 4%.

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