National voluntary labelling schemes may get green light
National voluntary front of pack labelling schemes such as the UK's multiple traffic light system could be allowed despite objections under the Food Information Regulation (FIR).
The European Commission's (EC's) head of food law, nutrition and labelling, Basil Mathioudakis, admitted a delay until after the European Parliament (EP) elections in June was likely. He was speaking at a labelling debate in Brussels in February organised by the Food and Drink Federation (FDF). Mathioudakis said the delay might enable Member States to better digest the proposals, allowing more time for debate.
In July the EU presidency will pass from the Czech Republic - known to be against front of pack nutrient labelling - to Sweden, which is in favour. Sweden proposes a 'keyhole' scheme to encourage healthier consumer purchasing behaviour. Mella Frewen, director general of the CIAA, The Confederation of Food and Drink Industries of the EU, told Food Manufacture: "Voluntary national schemes would be a disaster because top up legislation left in the hands of the Member States would fly in the face of the single market."
The CIAA and FDF believe guideline daily amounts (GDAs) provide a more scientific basis than traffic lights for flagging up nutrient content. They would like to see calorific (energy) content on front of packs. The first 600 of around 1,200 amendments to the EC's original FIR proposals were discussed by the EP Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) at the end of February. Two other EP committees are considering other amendments. Separately, Rosemary Hignett, head of the Food Standards Agency's (FSA's) nutrition division, said highlighting nutritional content of food in UK foodservice channels for businesses and consumers would be "a big focus" for the FSA in 2009. "Our intent in the short term is that there should be voluntary adoption of calorific intake at the point of consumer choice. Whether we move on salt and other things is a question for the future." She was speaking at Food Manufacture's 'Food labelling in the dock' event at Ardencote Manor Hotel and Country Club, Warwick, last month.
The FSA expects results from extensive consumer research on front of pack labelling to become available in the late spring. "We will be developing a framework consultation document based on the results and will launch a full public consultation sometime in the summer," said Hignett. "There will be an agency board discussion in the autumn and we will decide how to advise ministers." She moved to reassure processors the FSA was considering the cost of labelling to them as well. "We're working very hard with business to understand what the cost of changing labels might be."
