Consumer bodies criticise food labelling changes

CONSUMER and health bodies have severely criticised new food labelling rules, accusing politicians of siding with the major food and drink companies against the public interest.

Alcoholic drinks have been excluded from having to list ingredients.

The traffic-light system preferred by consumers to indicate levels of fat, sugar and salt, has been rejected in favour of a system that research has shown is more difficult to understand.

However, Labour MEP Nessa Childers said the changes were some of the most important in years.

The changes include:

* Minimum font size to make the information easier to read;

* Fresh meat and fish will be labelled with the country of origin and will possibly extend to meat used in processed foods;

* The amount of energy, protein, fat, saturated fat, carbohydrates, sugar and salt levels will be mandatory, though not on the front of packs;

* This nutritional information will have to be listed per 100g/100ml;

* The presence and type of vegetable oil (eg palm oil) must be included;

* Allergens will be highlighted and will also be available in restaurants;

* Nano ingredients will be labelled;

* ‘Fake foods’ must be labelled to show they are ‘formed meat’ or fish.

The food industry will have five years to apply the rules fully. The European Parliament vote on food labelling was welcomed by the Food and Drink Industry Ireland.

However, the Irish Heart Foundation was critical that easy-to-understand information will not be put on the front of packs. They pointed out that heart attacks and strokes are the country’s biggest killers and that 60% of the population is overweight or obese.

“Clear front-of-pack food labelling is an important part of creating an environment which helps make healthy choices, easier choices,” the foundation said.

Research found that Irish shoppers — like those in the rest of the EU — are more likely to correctly identify the level of fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt in the majority of products tested using traffic-light colours, combined with numerical information and the words “high”, “medium” and “low”, compared to shoppers using the numerical information only.

Maureen Mulvhill of the Irish Heart Foundation called on the Department of Health to work with food companies to provide traffic-light labelling.

Eurocare, a body working on preventing alcohol-related harm in Europe, was furious at the exemption for alcohol.

Secretary general Marian Skar said: “This is a bitter reminder about the influence of the powerful industry lobbying on the politicians and their failure to give priority to the interests of the people. It really makes us all wonder what is in our drinks that the industry is so afraid to tell us.”

The European Commission is due to study the issue of labelling alcohol ingredients in eight years.

Ms Childers welcomed the changes: “We will know the origin for all meat and poultry, not just beef. Consumers concerned about animal welfare and the environment will know more to make different choices.”