The latest Council of Ministers approved a Royal Decree, to be published on the Official State Gazette (BOE) on Saturday, which will serve to regulate studies and comparative analyses on food products. Such studies are highly demanded by consumers and occasionally play a big role in determining purchase decisions.
Following a proposal from the Ministry of the Presidency, this Royal Decree, in addition to fulfilling the mandate that will strive to improve the functioning of the food chain, will guarantee the rigour of such studies providing, in turn, legal safety to the businesses under study.
To achieve these purposes, a clear, accurate and standardised procedure has been established, which both study organisers and operators will have to adhere to, in particular with regard to the sampling of food at points of sale and the subsequent analyses performed.
The new regulation applies to all comparative studies intended for publication or dissemination of consumer information. Studies developed exclusively for scientific purposes will be excluded.
The publication of this Royal Decree entails a stronger defence of consumer interests, as it will improve the quality of the information provided to them and their capacity to make good choices. It also ensures the defence of the interests of operators, establishing solid guarantees that the information disclosed in the studies and reports has been obtained in a professional and reliable way.
All sectors affected by this Royal Decree have been consulted during its preparation, including producer associations representing the industry, distributors and consumers, in order to reconcile the interests of all parties.
