The European Commission has rejected calls for a mandatory ‘country of origin’ labelling scheme that would force food manufacturers to reveal where food ingredients come from. The Commission has concluded that the costs of such a scheme would outweigh the benefits. However, many parts of the industry, particularly those in the dairy industry, have expressed their disappointment.
European consumer rights group BEUC said that for most consumers, knowing where their food comes from is extremely important. Monique Goyens, Director General of BEUC, commented: “The data shows that 84% of Europeans want to know the origin of their milk, whether sold as such or as part of a dairy product. More than three quarters of consumers want to see information on where the milk was transformed into dairy products and almost as many (68%) want to know where the milking was done.
“Consumer research leaves no doubt that people are mostly interested to know the country, if not the region, from which their food originates. Simply knowing whether a food comes from the ‘’EU’’ or not is meaningless to most consumers.
“We expect the EU to deliver for consumers by allowing them to make informed choices when it comes to food origin. The Commission’s preference to leave the industry to voluntarily label origins is a blow for consumers’ right to know where our food comes from. Such an approach is a little too close to asking turkeys to vote for Christmas. BEUC is in favour of mandatory labelling.
“We will study the Commission’s reports in detail, but one can be forgiven for wondering as to the point of the exercises. The European Commission has not yet responded to the call for mandatory origin labelling on processed meat which was launched by the European Parliament two months ago. Such silence does not augur well for the other foods targeted in these two reports.”
In April, rules came into effect that makes it mandatory to label where meat comes from and where it was slaughtered. The EC did not extend the rules to processed meat products but some members of the industry still believe the changes are too costly to implement. Research suggests that up to 90% of consumers feel that it is important to know where their food comes from.
Dr Judith Bryans, Chief Executive of Dairy UK, said: “We are disappointed to see that the Commission report found that voluntary Country of Origin Labelling may be a more suitable option for dairy products than a mandatory system.
“There is obvious consumer demand for clearer information on the country of origin of food products as illustrated by the existing rules for fresh meat within the Food Information to Consumers Regulation. Therefore, it makes sense to take the next step and introduce these requirements for milk and milk used as an ingredient in dairy products.
“A mandatory labelling system would help the UK dairy industry showcase its products and reassure consumers on their provenance. Our milk, our cheeses, our yogurts and all our great British dairy products are a staple of the UK diet and we should be proud of what we produce.
“Country of Origin Labelling should be more than just an option but a strong recognition of the British dairy industry’s hard work to deliver nutritious and wholesome products to consumers.”
