Fair labeling seems easy, but manufacturers sometimes make it very complicated and sometimes do not dare to be honest about their product. Within the legal framework, manufacturers try to entice consumers to buy their product. Logical of course, but can a product also be sold if manufacturers were more honest about their product? There is often a lot on the packaging, but what does it actually have to say according to the law? On December 13, 2014, a new EU regulation on labeling came into effect. What are the changes? Is the packaging improving? Is the consumer less misled?
The label, what should it say?
What must be included on a food label is laid down in the Commodities Act. [1] However, it does not always appear to be easy for consumers to read a label. Because we as consumers learn more and more about which ingredients are healthy and which are not, manufacturers often try to make it clear in small print or with large pictures that the product certainly meets your health requirements or needs.
Product name and images
The first thing you notice is of course the product name and picture. Product names are partly laid down in the Commodities Act, for example that a piece of cheese must consist of a certain composition. The Kees’ product, for example, is a cheese variant that cannot be called cheese, because Kees cheese contains unsaturated fats and therefore does not meet the concept of cheese. If a product does not meet the requirements of the Commodities Act, the manufacturer comes up with a fantasy name, such as Kees.
A picture on the packaging is not mandatory, but if it is used, the depicted ingredient must be in the product, i.e. it must be included in the ingredients list. For example, the packaging of a Sultana® may contain apples (almost 50% of the packaging), while it only contains 3% apple concentrate. [2] In reality there is not much apple in it, but an apple suggests that the product is healthy and that is why the manufacturer puts an apple on the packaging.
Ingredients
The ingredients of the product must be stated on the packaging. The ingredients that contain the most are listed first. The EU regulation states that labels must contain clear and understandable language, but when it comes to the ingredients list, this is not always the case. For example, the manufacturer can decide for himself which synonym he uses for a substance. Let’s take a well-known flavor enhancer as an example; Monosodium glutamate, MSG, E621 or Ve-Tsin. All synonyms for the same substance. The consumer often does not know this. If the manufacturer puts the chemical name on the label, the consumer does not know what it is and may be more likely to buy the product than if he sees the E number on the label.
Nutritional value
The nutritional value states how much energy, fats, carbohydrates, proteins and salt are in the product. The order of declaration has changed. For example, fats should now be mentioned first. This may be related to the fight against cardiovascular disease, but the precise reason for this is not clear.
Furthermore, it is a pity that the amount of sugar (sucrose) does not have to be declared, especially now that the WHO has tightened the standards for this in the context of the prevention of lifestyle diseases. For example, 10% of the total nutritional intake may consist of sugar. [3]
Allergies
In the ingredients list, the 14 food allergens (such as lactose, gluten) must be bolded, italicized or colored. This makes it clear to the consumer whether the substance he or she is allergic to is in the product.
Even more…
In addition to the rules mentioned, the following terms must also be included on the packaging: expiry date, the net quantity (expressed in .g E), country of origin, the name or trade name with an address of the company, special storage instructions and/or conditions of use and the alcohol percentage, if it is an alcohol-containing product.
What is on the label, but does not have to be?
Claims
What the law has established regarding claims is that properties may not be attributed to the food that it does not possess. For example, the claim You will fall asleep better when taking this product may not appear on the packaging if it has not been proven.
There are often health claims and nutritional claims on the packaging. Health claims are claims that indicate whether a product or ingredient of the product is good for your health, for example vitamin C supports your body’s defenses. Examples of nutritional claims are; light, high in fiber, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, sugar-free or salt-free. [4] Nutrition and health claims may not be:
- Make the consumer doubt that the product is not safe;
- Suggesting that a balanced, varied diet does not contain all the necessary nutrients;
- Indicate changes in bodily functions that may arouse anxiety in the consumer. [5]
In addition, nutrition and health claims must be scientifically substantiated. To find out this, the European Health and Consumers Committee has created a list in which the manufacturer can read which claims are scientifically substantiated. [6]
Logos and quality marks
In addition to claims, there are also logos on packaging, such as the Vinkje former I choose consciously logo. To have this logo on your product, the product must meet a number of conditions. The manufacturer pays for this logo. Cheap products that do meet the criteria of the logo often do not have this logo, but this does not mean that the product is unhealthy.
Deception
Despite the fact that rules against misleading consumers have been drawn up in the law, according to Foodwatch a label is often still misleading. [7] Many claims may still be used freely. Pictures on the packaging are also very misleading. The example of the Sultana® packaging clearly shows that the consumer is misled by the number of apples on the packaging and the green color of the packaging.
Honest and delicious
It can be concluded that products are not always labeled fairly. Companies often do everything they can to continue to tempt consumers. Always look carefully at the back of the product for the composition of the product, the nutritional value and the ingredients list, because companies are not allowed to lie about this. It will be nice if products still look delicious despite more truthful labeling. But let’s be honest, we as consumers have to get used to that and will we continue to buy the products?
