Consumers do not feel sufficiently informed about the safe use of food packaging and containers, which could increase their exposure to food-related risks, according to a survey published by the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) on Thursday 13 April.
This survey on the attitudes, needs and concerns of the public regarding ‘food contact materials’ (named after Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004) was conducted in October 2022 in 11 EU countries via an online questionnaire (1,000 respondents per country).
Although consumers are generally aware that some packaging or containers can release chemical substances into food, two thirds of respondents report a lack of instructions for safe and proper use.
One in two people, for example, continue to use worn or damaged cookware and utensils (such as silicone cookware and non-stick frying pans), while age and wear and tear can increase the risk of chemical contamination of food.
“These findings show that EU food packaging policy falls well short of consumer expectations and needs. Consumer organisations call for EU rules so that food containers and packaging are safe, and people always receive easy instructions on how to use them”, comments BEUC Director General Monique Goyens.
According to the BEUC, it is important to:
- require producers and retailers of food packaging to always provide easy-to-understand instructions for use;
- develop stricter rules to ensure that packaging materials are safe under all foreseeable conditions of use, including reuse;
- ban all chemical substances of very high concern in food packaging by default;
- increase resources for official controls to achieve changes on the ground, especially for online sales and imported products.
See the survey: https://aeur.eu/f/6b8 (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)