IFA welcomes European Parliament vote in favour of food labelling rules

THE IFA has welcomed the European Parliament’s vote yesterday in favour of rules for food labelling, notably compulsory country-of-origin labelling for meat from pig, sheep, goat and poultry.

IFA deputy president Eddie Downey said consumers had a right to know where the food they buy has been produced. He also broadly welcomed other new regulations requiring labelling information on nutritional content, allergens and greater legibility.

Mr Downey said: “We have been looking for this labelling for some time. We welcome the vote, and we now want to make sure that the regulations are implemented as soon as possible, and that they are properly policed.

“Consumers have the right to know the country of origin of the food they are buying. We are confident that the quality of the food we produce in Ireland can compete with any other producer in the world. We welcome any labelling that gives greater clarity on the country of origin, the nutritional content or any other information that allows consumers to make their own informed choices.”

The parliament’s vote on labelling was also welcomed by EU Health and Consumer Policy Commissioner John Dalli, notably the compulsory country-of-origin labelling for meat from pig, sheep, goat and poultry. He also said that the framing of voluntary origin indications will help prevent the risk of misleading consumers and will ensure a level playing field for food businesses.

Mr Dalli said: “I welcome today’s important decision. It completes an effort which started more than three years ago to help consumers make more informed decisions when they buy food. The Parliament’s vote constitutes a significant step in our efforts to further boost consumer empowerment and, contribute to the fight against the rising levels of obesity and chronic diseases in the EU.”

The new rules include: minimum font size for mandatory information to improve legibility for consumers; mandatory nutrition information to help consumers identify foods that meet their personal preferences or dietary requirements.

The rules will also mean a mandatory information on allergens on pre-packed foods, non-pre-packed foods and foods sold in restaurants to enable consumers to better protect their health.

Mr Dalli also said the decision was the result of compromise. The Commission felt that in some key areas the regulation does not go far enough. For instance, the proposal for nutrition labelling on the front of packages was not accepted and will only be voluntary.

He was also disappointed at the decision to exempt alcoholic drinks from the ingredient and nutrition labelling requirements.