Food Labeling: The European Parliament Strengthens Consumer Information

Over the course of 48 hours, the European Parliament’s Committee on the Environment, Public Health, and Health Security debated two reports: one on fruit juices and the other on food labeling. The key decision is the overhaul of labeling requirements for all food products.   Several mandatory pieces of information are basic, such as the list of ingredients and specific conditions of use. Similarly, key nutritional information would be included on all products: energy value, amounts of fat, saturated and trans fats, carbohydrates, and protein—and salt! This table would be presented per serving and per 100 g or 100 ml equivalent, alongside the recommended daily intakes. As for the expiration date, it will of course remain in effect, even though debates across the Channel regarding its impact on food waste have drawn attention, and the government is considering removing this information from products other than perishable items such as eggs and dairy products. A “first freeze” date could even be included for unprocessed frozen meat, poultry, and fish. Regarding the product’s origin, the European Council of Ministers has extended the labeling requirement to goat, sheep, and pork, as well as poultry. The Parliament could further expand these measures to include all meats and poultry, dairy products, and even single-ingredient foods. In addition, the country of origin must be indicated whenever processed foods contain meat, poultry, or fish. For meat, consumer information will even be expanded to include the animal’s place of birth, rearing, and slaughter. Furthermore, it should be noted—again in the interest of transparency toward consumers—that meat from animals slaughtered without prior stunning must clearly state this fact. In the current French context, this is likely to reveal a practice that is becoming increasingly widespread and that goes beyond religious considerations for economic reasons. Finally, as with any regulation, exceptions and exemptions are already provided for non-prepackaged foods intended for immediate consumption and artisanal products. And to ensure that these new labels are easy to read, several criteria will be applied. The list will be long, as will the transition period for compliance within the European Union: three years, with an additional two years for nutritional information. All that remains now is for the Council of Europe to approve the text as is, with a vote scheduled for next July in Strasbourg. The other text debated this week, the one on fruit juice, aims to clarify for consumers the difference between fruit juice and fruit nectar (sugar content and the presence of sweeteners, if any). In France, other discussions are currently underway regarding the overhaul of labeling for products that are free of or contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs): processed or unprocessed products, the 0.1% DNA threshold, etc. A decree is currently being drafted.