Brussels, 07/12/2010 (Agence Europe) - A step has just been taken towards clearer, more understandable labelling of foodstuffs, which provide consumers with better information on energy and nutritional values so that more informed choices can be made. On Tuesday 7 December, the Council reached political agreement on first reading on the draft regulation on consumer information on foodstuffs.
Under the terms of the agreement, the nutrition declaration will be compulsory. The energy value and the quantities of some nutrients (fat, saturates, carbohydrates, protein, sugars and salt) will have to be indicated on the packaging. In general terms, they will be expressed per 100g or per 100ml, but could also be indicated as a percentage of reference intakes. However, food business operators could also use additional forms of expression or presentation as long as certain conditions are met (e.g. they do not mislead consumers and are supported by evidence of understanding of such forms of expression or presentation by the average consumer).
All parts of the nutrition declaration should appear together in the same field of vision but some elements may be repeated on the front of the packaging. (A.N./transl.rt)