The European Court of Auditors (ECA) and Safe Food Advocacy Europe (SAFE) have released a report calling for more transparency regarding food labelling, with both concluding that more clarity is needed for consumers to be able to make informed choices.
SAFE’s report, commissioned by Ethica and Toluna, market research companies from Italy and the UK, reflects shortcomings in consumers’ trust of labels, particularly in relation to the term ‘natural’, which the report finds is often made under unsubstantiated claims.
The survey results highlight the diverse interpretations and understandings of this term among EU consumers, underscoring the need for more precise regulations and clearer labelling practices.
The report, which was published on the back of a survey of 5,000 people between the ages of 18 – 65 years, from Germany, France, Italy, Poland, and Spain, aimed to gauge consumer perceptions of food labels, while also covering a broad spectrum of dietary and consumer habits.
The report indicates that consumers believe food labels should consist of simplified language, with clarity on the presence of ingredients which have been shown to have adverse effects on health.
This skepticism towards food labelling is particularly pronounced in France, where nearly 80% of consumers have doubt in the transparency of food labels.
The report also found that there is a clear preference for natural ingredients and eco-friendly packaging upon the survey sample, reflecting broader trends towards better health consciousness and environmental sustainability amongst Europeans.
Key findings of the report include:
- 89% of Europeans believe that institutions should adopt regulations to make labels more transparent;
- 67% of European consumers feel that companies do not provide all the necessary information on labels;
- 85% consider it incorrect to use the word “natural” for products also containing synthetic ingredients;
- 83% of the consumers surveyed demand that products with synthetic ingredients clearly state it on labelling;
- 90% of the respondents believe that food labelling should require a clear indication as to the existence of one or more nonnatural substances in the product.
Secretary general of SAFE, Floriana Cimmarusti, said: “This report stresses the need for the European Commission to produce clear legislation to distinguish synthetic and natural ingredients in products and to protect consumers from misleading labels.
“It is now clear that consumers demand higher protection. We expect this report to be considered as a basis for the future revisions of the EU’s legal framework on food safety.”
According to the ‘2011 Food Information to Consumers Regulation’, information on food packaging “must be accurate, clear, easy to understand, not misleading, and should not be ambiguous or confusing”.
However, this report highlights gaps in the EU legal framework which appear to contradict the 2011 regulation.
As a result, the report recommends the European Commission to take action on misleading labelling, to monitor consumer expectations, strengthen member states’ individual checks on voluntary labels and undergo a general overview of labelling practices.
SAFE also expressed an expectation for European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Olivér Várhelyi, to advance legislation against misleading food labelling and to push for more transparency on Novel Foods and precision breeding with the food sector.
Its authors also urged the EU to “establish a standardised, legally binding definition of ‘natural’ food products, specifying ingredient origins, processing methods, and modifications”, which they claimed, will assist consumers to make more informed food choices.