EU Food Labelling Rules: Greenwashing and Consumer Confusion Exposed

EU Food Labelling Rules Under Scrutiny

A new report from the European Court of Auditors (ECA) criticizes the EU’s food labelling rules. The report states that these rules allow companies to mislead consumers with confusing health claims.

Confusion for Consumers

Many food labels highlight benefits like healthiness or eco-friendliness, creating mixed messages. Keit Pentus-Rosimannus, an ECA member, emphasized that consumers face a confusing array of labels and claims. She noted that rules have not kept pace with market changes, making it hard for the 450 million consumers in Europe to get clear information.

Slow Rule Updates

The ECA also criticized the European Commission for not updating the Food Information to Consumers (FIC) Regulation in a timely manner. Out of 11 planned updates, only four have been completed. One significant delay involves front-of-pack nutrition labelling, intended for completion in 2017. Debate continues over which system to adopt, with Nutri-Score being a popular choice but lacking consensus.

Changes in Major Brands

Recently, Danone removed Nutri-Score from its products after changes affected some of its beverages’ scores. Experts have called this action disappointing, especially since Danone previously supported making Nutri-Score mandatory.

Call for Standardization

NGOs urge the European Commission to establish a mandatory front-of-pack label. They argue for Nutri-Score to be implemented as a standard label across the EU or to allow member states to adopt it nationally.

Unregulated Health Claims and Allergen Labelling

The report highlighted issues with non-regulated health claims related to plant substances. These claims often lack scientific backing. Additionally, allergen labelling can be overly cautious, using vague terms like ‘may contain’ that limit options for consumers with food allergies. The absence of EU-wide definitions for vegan and vegetarian labels further complicates product choice.

Greenwashing and Voluntary Labels

The rise of voluntary labels and environmental claims has led to increased greenwashing. Current EU regulations are not sufficient to address this. Though new rules are in progress through the green claims directive, challenges remain.

Challenges in Enforcement

While checks on mandatory labels work well, voluntary claims lack proper oversight. Online sales also pose challenges for regulation, especially for products from outside the EU.

Conclusion

The ECA report serves as a wake-up call for regulators. It highlights the need for clearer, more enforceable food labelling standards to protect consumers from misleading claims.