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Environment
and Consumer
Nutrition and health
claims on food labelling
Consumers are
nowadays faced with a vast array of claims about the nutritional
and health value of foods on the labels of food products - from
microwave meals to breakfast cereals - with statements such as "low
fat", "reduced sugar", "no salt", "better
for you", "good for you", "naturally good"
- the list is endless. But a food low in fat passing itself off
as "healthy" might contain lots of sugar - which is itself
a major cause of obesity. With obesity on the rise across Europe,
the European Parliament has been considering proposals to regulate
these "nutritional and health claims".
John Bowis believes
that consumers must have confidence in the information they receive
about food and drink products, especially as they are now faced
with so many claims. Consumers are taking an increasing interest
in their diet, its relationship to health, and, more generally,
the composition of foods that they are buying. For these reasons
it is important that food labelling, marketing and advertising should
be clear, accurate and meaningful. However, whilst some claims that
have appeared on the market are dubious, the proposals should not
become a tool to go overboard in banning relevant and informative
claims. John Bowis will therefore be working in an effort to get the balance right.
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