Summary
Food information policy is not simply an issue of
regulation; it encompasses public health initiatives, education
within schools and advertising. Currently, responsibility for
these areas is divided between at least six different government
departments and agencies. It is not apparent to us that there
is effective co-ordination between these bodies in respect of
government policy and initiatives about food information, both
domestically and at EU level. The Government should explicitly
task Defra with lead responsibility for co-ordinating food information
policy across both central and local government, and for representing
the position of the UK Government at EU level.
Government has a vital role to play in providing
definitive guidance which assists consumers to assess food safety
risks. We commend the Food Standards Agency on the work it has
done towards providing clear advice to consumers about food safety
issues. However, we recommend that the Government undertake a
speedy investigation into the events which resulted in the illegal
dye, Sudan 1, making its way into the UK food chain.
Extensive nutrition information should be mandatory
on all prepacked foods, and the Government should make the necessary
legislative change a high priority matter for the UK's forthcoming
presidency of the EU. Nutrition information should be presented
in a standard, tabular format and in plain English. Guideline
daily amounts for energy consumption should be included on all
labels, and the inclusion of guideline daily amounts for fat,
sugars, and salt should be the rule, rather than the exception.
Where feasible, the same level of nutrition information should
be given on food sold loose and food sold prepacked for direct
sale in supermarkets and other food shops. Currently, there are
few or no requirements for clear and meaningful labelling of such
foods, and the Government seems to be doing little to address
this gaping hole in food labelling requirements.
We are strongly supportive of the introduction of
a UK-wide system of front-of-label nutrition signposting, to assist
consumers in making healthier choices 'at a glance'; speedy action
by the Government is required to introduce such a system. The
traffic light system has much to commend it but, whatever signposting
system the Government decides to adopt, the determining factor
should be clarity, rather than comprehensiveness.
In terms of achieving improvement in nutrition labelling
on a voluntary basis, we are disappointed that major supermarket
chains seem to be making little effort to influence their suppliers
of non own-brand products. We urge them to enter into a dialogue
with these suppliers to encourage them to introduce improved nutrition
labelling, including nutrition signposting.
Those who sell or otherwise provide food in the eating
out sector must take responsibility for providing healthy choices
to their customers, and for highlighting those choices as healthy.
The Government should work with the eating out sector to develop
a 'green light only' nutrition signposting system to highlight
healthy food choices.
Consumers should receive better information about
ethical issues associated with food production. Although the scope
of legislating for compulsory provision of such information is
limited by WTO agreements, failure by the food industry to provide
consumers with further information about these matters could well
be interpreted as a failure to engage with the ethical implications
of the industry's activities. The Government should ensure the
central registration of food assurance schemes.
Consumers are often faced with a range of contradictory
messages about nutrition and diet, from a wide range of sources.
In order to improve consumers' knowledge and understanding of
nutrition and diet, a broader education campaign about these matters
is required, driven forward by both the Government and the food
industry, working in partnership with each other. If consumers
are ever to trust messages about diet and food, such messages
must be presented in a coherent and authoritative manner. The
Government needs to provide the industry with a single agenda
with a clear list of priorities that both the Government and industry
can work towards achieving. At the same time, the food industry
has a key role to play in raising consumer awareness about nutrition
and diet and in making healthier choices both available and attractive.
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