(Brussels, 2 July 2008) European food and drink producers, large and small, are actively implementing a voluntary nutrition labelling system based on Guideline Daily Amounts (GDAs), new, independent research reveals.

The representative survey of 2,026 food and drink producers—including both multinational companies and family-owned butchers and bakers—was conducted between last November and mid-March in France, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Among other highlights, the research revealed:

• Nearly half of all respondents (44%) are voluntarily labelling their products with GDA information.
• While large companies lead the way, with some 65% saying they have introduced or are planning to introduce GDA labels, some 58% of medium-sized companies and 34% of small companies are also using or planning to use GDA labels.(1)
• 79% of those companies using GDA labels expect to include them on more than half of their product range
  

“The research shows that small- and medium-sized enterprises are following the lead of large food companies in introducing GDA labels across a broad range of products on a voluntary basis,” said Jean Martin, president of the Confederation of the Food and Drink Industries of the EU (CIAA). “We have gone from having hardly any GDA labels just two years ago to covering a significant and rapidly growing share of food and drink products today.” Most of CIAA’s large company members plan to include GDA labels on 100% of their products throughout Europe by the end of 2009 and several will reach that target already by the end of this year.

“The successful voluntary implementation of GDAs calls into question the necessity for a European law mandating such labelling,” Mr. Martin added. “Voluntary initiatives can be more effective than legislation at delivering benefits to consumers quickly.”

Companies are also responding to consumer demands for greater choice in nutrition and portion sizes. Some 43% of respondents have reduced the amount of saturated fat, salt or sugars in their current products or have introduced new products with less of these ingredients in them since January 2004. Separate surveys of CIAA members have found that the vast majority has reformulated products in similar ways during the same period. “There is no higher priority for European food and drink producers than helping consumers achieve balanced diets,” said Mr. Martin.

The research was conducted by APCO Insight, a specialised survey firm, and reviewed at each step by Dr. Brian Young, a Fellow of the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom. “The survey used top quality sources to reach a representative sample of food and drink producers big and small and the weighted data is statistically sound,” said Dr. Young.

The food sectors covered include bakery products, breakfast cereals, confectionery, meat based products, dairy products, ice cream, oils & fats, sauces & seasonings, and soft drinks.

Mr. Martin said the survey would be the first in a series, supporting CIAA’s promise to stakeholders to monitor and report on the real-world impact of its commitments.

BACKGROUND:

The CIAA voluntary nutrition labelling scheme based on GDAs is one of the food and drink industry’s most significant commitments to the EU Platform for Action on Diet, Physical Activity and Health. Introduced in June 2006, it is already being implemented throughout Europe. By the end of 2008, some 1,030 brands, including 80% of all soft drinks and branded breakfast cereals in the EU will use GDA labelling, according to a previous CIAA survey.

GDAs are a guide to how much energy and key nutrients are required for a healthy diet. The GDA label makes it easier for consumers to see how each food or drink product contributes to their daily needs for different nutrients as well as overall energy content.

An example of a typical, back-of-pack GDA label for five key nutrients:

(1) Company size is based on annual sales
Small: €1- €499,000
Med: €500,000 - €4,999,999
Large: > €5,000,000

• Download this press release (PDF)