TACD Calls for EU and US to Support Traffic Light Nutritional Labelling

As discussions take place on front of pack nutrition labelling at this week's EU-US High Level Regulatory Co-operation Forum (HLRCF), the Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue (TACD) is calling for the EU and US governments to support nutrition labelling that includes colour coding of levels of nutrients. 

Discussions on nutrition labelling are at a crucial point in both the EU and US. The US is currently conducting research to find out what works best for consumers to move ahead with a consistent voluntary approach across the industry. Surveys in the EU have consistently shown that colour coding of nutrient information is the method that is best understood by consumers. 

The EU is developing new Food Information Regulations, but disappointingly, the European Parliament rejected a system including colour coding at its first reading on 16th June. Member States will now be debating which approach to take in the Council. 

Sue Davies, Senior Policy Adviser at Which?, the UK based consumer association, and EU co-chair of the TACD Food Policy Committee said “We need a consistent approach to front of pack nutrition labelling across the board, based on what works best for consumers and not what works best for the food industry. The EU and US governments need to take account of independent research and agree to a mandatory approach that interprets nutrition information for consumers using traffic light colour coding.This approach would also be entirely consistent with the principles of behavioural economics, that indicate that consumers cannot easily process information when it is provided to them in a non-focused way.”

Contact:

Julian Knott, TACD Coordinator - +447817294599

About TACD

TACD is a forum of US and EU consumer organisations which develops and agrees on joint consumer policy recommendations to the US government and European Union to promote the consumer interest in EU and US policy making. For further information, please visit www.tacd.org