Changes to food
labelling regulations
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Learning objectives
• To understand the changes to the EU Food Information
Regulation.
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Current food regulations
Currently, food and drinks are not legally
required to provide nutrition information on
pack, unless they make a nutrition or health
claim about the product.
Where information is given, some rules have
to be followed.
However, the provision of nutrition
information on the back of packs will
become compulsory in the near future and
there will be some small changes to the
format required.
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New Food Information Regulation
The new regulation comes from the European
Commission.
It covers all aspects of food labelling, including the size of
the letters on packaging.
The new regulation came into force at the end of 2011.
By the end of 2016, providing nutrition information on the
back of packaged foods will be compulsory.
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Front – of – pack labelling
• Front-of-pack labelling, such as the traffic light labelling or
Guideline Daily Amounts (GDAs), will remain optional.
• These types of labels are designed to provide consumers
with nutrition information at a glance.
Traffic light labelling
Guideline daily amounts (GDAs)
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Format of the nutrition labels
• The format of nutrition labels, on the back of pack, will
change slightly under the new rules, including the order
and type of nutrients displayed.
Current back of pack format
New back of pack format
What are the main differences you can see?
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When do the changes start to take place?
• Food companies can begin to use the new format
straightaway, although the old regulations remain legal
until 2014.
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For further information and support, go to:
www.meatandeducation.com
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