Food labelling vote victory for consumers

Posted on April 20, 2011 at 11:28 AM

Nessa Childers MEP today welcomed new EU-wide food labelling rules as one of the most important pieces of European legislation in years.  She said: "This vote by the Parliament's powerful Public Health & Food Safety Committee (64 MEPs) is a victory for European consumers.  "We need these new food labelling rules to help consumers make healthy choices. Massive public health problems such as heart disease and obesity are greatly increasing and are costing billions of euros every year to our health services. People want to how much salt, fat and sugar is in their food.

"The vote called for mandatory labelling of transfats. Transfats are already banned in some countries because they are linked to diseases like Alzheimer's and infertility. Consumers need to know when they are added artificially.  "The vote today will also improve country-of origin-labelling. We want the origin for all meat and poultry, not just beef. Consumers concerned about safety, animal welfare and the environment should know where the meat you buy comes from, including meat in processed products like sandwiches and pizzas.  "I also especially welcome the vote supporting my initiative to label palm oil in our food products, which is normally labelled as vegetable oil but causes huge environment damage around the world.

"However I am very disappointed that a conservative-led majority rejected front of pack labelling for calories, fats, saturated fats, sugar and salt. People have the right to know what's in the food they buy. They need to be able to do it easily and quickly so that they can make healthy choices for them and their family. Now only calories will be on front of pack, with other nutrients on the less seen back of pack.  I am also disappointed that alcohol and in particular so-called alcopops will not be labelled with nutritional, or should I say lack of nutritional values.  This legislation will affect over 500 millions consumers of food products across Europe. We must continue to campaign to give shoppers the right to know exactly what is in their food."

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