FSA agrees plan for nutrition labelling
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The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is calling on companies to include both traffic light colours and Daily Guideline Daily Amounts (GDAs) after its board agreed a single approach to front-of-pack (FOP) nutrition labelling.
The FSA will “encourage” businesses to use both elements alongside text to help “consumers interpret nutritional information”.
The Agency also wants food makers to ensure the information is presented “in a way that is clearly visible and prominent”. It adds that only traffic light colours - red amber, green - should be used to “avoid consumer confusion”.
Additionally, the FSA says that “information on portion size should be realistic and not mislead” and that labels should be used on a wider range of processed packaged foods.
The FSA adds it does not support FOP labels using only % GDAs, which is preferred by many in the food industry.
Jeff Rooker, FSA board chair, says: “The board was clear that it wanted a single approach to front of pack labelling that works. Tremendous progress has been made by industry in taking up front-of-pack labelling but different schemes are causing confusion to consumers”.
The board’s agreement follows the publication of its initial principles for FOP labelling in 2006. These are designed to help consumers easily understand the levels of fat, saturated fat, salt and sugars in food products.
The Agency will advise ministers of its recommendations before undertaking a four to six week consultation on the technical guidance that will be needed to implement the board’s recommendations.
Readers' comments (1)
Brian George | Thu, 11 Mar 2010 2:06 pm
I know why don't we get rid of all brand names and any other extraneous marketing messages as well on the pack-front and just have really vital info on there like FSA's traffic lights, GDA’s and any other absolutely essential information such as who should not consume the product and why, plus any PC messages and HM Gov health warnings etc, etc! As all this really very important stuff will now be on the front, all the boring bits, such as branding, flavour, CtA and PoD can then be put on the back of the label where they belong and the shelves will assume a wonderful monotony!! Alternatively people could just turn the pack round and read the back/front traffic lights and all, or is that just too complicated for today's politicians?
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