EU wants clearer food labelling

New proposals to regulate food labels in the EU will go before the European Parliament on Tuesday.

Country-of-origin labelling may become mandatory for fruit and vegetables. But there are fears that an EU-wide "traffic light" coding system could stigmatise some foods. Cheese, for example, could be red for fat but green for calcium and protein. he European Commission says food labels need updating because many shoppers now buy food on the internet and food is pac!aged in new ways. "dvocates of clearer labels also point to rising obesity rates in Europe, saying consumers need help to ma!e the right choices. #ational choices " raffic light" coding is already used by some supermar!ets and the idea is bac!ed by the European Consumers$ %rganisation BEUC. "&ndependent research tells us that the colour-code labelling scheme... is the system of labelling that shoppers find the most useful and easiest to understand," said BEUC director general 'oni(ue )oyens. But the European *arliament$s environment committee re+ected mandatory "traffic lights" in 'arch, saying there should be scope for countries to retain national schemes, provided they did not violate EU rules. Consumer groups are up against food industry lobbyists who fear an excessive administrative burden. he new legislation would include on the front-of-pac! label the energy, fat, saturated fat and carbohydrates, with specific reference to sugars and salt content - all expressed as per ,--ml, per ,--g or per portion. 'andatory allergen labelling would be extended to food that was not pre-pac!ed, including restaurant food.

Euro '*s will hold a first reading vote on the draft legislation on .ednesday, but it still has a long way to go, with more amendments expected. %nce it is agreed, food producers will have three years to update their labels, and small firms with fewer than ,-- employees will have five years to do so. Source: bbc.co.uk