(16/05/06) Meer waarheid voor je geld: EP wil strenge voedings- en gezondheidsclaims voor levensmiddelen

• 2006-05-16

Het Europees Parlement heeft vandaag besloten dat het producenten van voedingsproducten niet langer is toegestaan om halve of onjuiste informatie te geven bij de verkoop. Het EP wil niet dat producten bv. worden verkocht onder de noemer '0% vet' als daar niet ook bij staat hoeveel suiker of andere minder gezonde ingrediënten het product bevat. Gevraagd wordt dat de Europese Autoriteit voor Voedselveiligheid nauwlettend zal nagaan of er nog misbruiken bestaan.

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Nutrition and health

Parliament u-turn on health claims will boost consumer protection



The Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament has welcomed the outcome of today's vote on nutrition and health claims on food. Speaking after the vote Jill Evans (Plaid Cymru, Wales) and Hiltrud Breyer (Bundnis 90/Die Grünen) said:

"The Parliament has today voted to strengthen consumer protection by ensuring that health claims made for food products are both clear and reliable. After a disastrous first reading in which the EP caved to the lobbying of the food industry by deleting the core provisions of the proposal, today's decision will help prevent consumers from being misled by health claims on unhealthy foods.

"The food industry will no longer be able to try and dupe its customers with false promises. Health claims for food can only be made if they are based on scientific evidence and if the message has been scrutinised by EFSA, the EU food watchdog, and authorised by the EU Commission. The Greens/EFA group welcomes the inclusion of brand names (like 'Slimfast') in the final regulation, which will also have to comply with claims rules.

"We are introducing fair rules for food marketing and guaranteeing reliable information for consumers. The new legislation will prevent food which is high in sugar, fat or salt, from carrying misleading messages suggesting that it will improve your health. In cases like these, only nutritional information (like "contains Vitamin C") will be allowed, provided that a warning message (like "high in sugar") is given at the same time, and with the same prominence."