(Brussels, 19 April 2011) Following today’s vote in the ENVI Committee(1) of the European Parliament on the proposal on food information to consumers, the CIAA (Confederation of food and drink industries of the EU) notes the positive signal sent by MEPs on nutrition labelling, exemptions granted for small packs and some aspects of the broader approach on legibility – despite moves to introduce a mandatory minimum font size.   

Food manufacturers welcome the outcome on nutrition labelling which places eight nutrients in the same field of vision.  Consumers used to finding the fibre content listed, however, will find this is no longer the case if today’s result is backed in the Plenary vote before the summer. MEPs have also asked for trans-fats (TFAs) to be listed, which food operators believe is a step too far. Based on scientific findings from EFSA(2), the total intake of TFAs today in most EU Member States is below the WHO recommended level of 1% dietary energy, and, as a result, EFSA has confirmed that TFAs do not pose a source of public health concern(3). The CIAA supports the Council’s view that trans-fats should be labelled on a voluntary basis.

While MEPs have recognised that the energy value could be repeated front-of-pack (FOP) for consumers’ benefit, Parliamentarians’ support was for this value to be expressed per 100g/100ml with per portion information possible only in addition.  This will create an unnecessary duplication of information for energy per 100g/100ml because this information is already listed (along with other nutrients) in the nutrient declaration (usually back-of-pack) for comparison purposes.  Moreover, food manufacturers have been providing voluntary information for energy FOP per portion using the GDA scheme for a number of years and as a recent FSAI study revealed, consumers find nutrition information per portion most meaningful in helping them to make informed food choices(4).  Industry calls on MEPs to prevent duplication ‘on pack’ in their Plenary vote in July.

The CIAA welcomes provisions on exemptions for small packs and MEPs’ support for the largest printable surface area of 80cm2.  This ensures that the information on the label of small packs is clear and legible, enabling the consumer to make an informed food choice.

While welcoming the broader approach adopted by MEPs on legibility taking other criteria (such as font type, contrast, line and character pitch, etc.) into account, food manufacturers were disappointed to see support from MEPs for a minimum font size, as this was revoked by the European Parliament in first reading. CIAA believes that if a minimum font size is considered, it should be no more than 1mm.

Meanwhile, concerns remain on a number of issues. On country of origin labelling (COOL), MEPs have voted in favour of the mandatory extension of existing rules (e.g. for single ingredient products) without considering calls from several member states, the European Commission and industry for an impact assessment to define if this would bring added value to the consumer and the feasibility and practicability of industry to implement such rules. This is disappointing. 

Finally, at a time when the EU is seeking to bridge the gaps in the completion of the Single Market, it is a unhelpful that MEPs have supported provisions allowing for national, additional forms of expression/presentation, which will, de facto, lead to a fragmentation of the internal market.  

Moving forward, the CIAA now looks to the institutions to reach a balanced agreement, in view of the proposal’s original aim, i.e. to combine and simplify existing legislation, and to improve consumer understanding. The result in Committee today seems to result in many additional labelling provisions beyond this objective. The CIAA calls for a more pragmatic approach to ensure that food labels are not overcomplicated for the consumer, and, at the same time, that the final outcome presents a workable piece of legislation for food manufacturers, helping to promote the competitiveness of Europe’s food and drink industry.  

(1) Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

(2) European Food Safety Authority, Scientific Opinion on the presence of trans fatty acids (TFAs) in foods and the effect on human health of the consumption of trans fatty acids, 2004

(3) European Food Safety Authority, Scientific Opinion on the setting of nutrient profiles for foods bearing nutrition and health claims pursuant to Article 4 of the Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, 2008

(4) www.fsai.ie/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=8900

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