Nutritional Labelling in the EU: Strengths and Weaknesses of the Current Regulatory Framework

Abstract

SummaryNutritional information on labels may impact positively on consumer food choices potentially enabling them to better judge the overall healthiness of foods and leading towards more aware and health‐oriented choices. Given its potential anticipated benefits, nutritional labelling regulation has been a priority in many countries over the last decades, and Nutrition Facts labelling became mandatory in the EU with the EU Regulation 1169/2011. However, even though mandatory Nutrition Facts labelling is crucial from a market perspective as it contributes to reducing information asymmetry, it may not be so effective from a health standpoint. Indeed, alongside mandatory indications the Regulation allows producers to report a number of additional and varying nutrition‐related information on a voluntary basis. Although these labels are important to provide consumers with supplementary contents, there is a risk that they generate information overload, making it difficult for individuals to compare different products. In this regard, consumers would likely benefit from more harmonised and standardised voluntary labels that could ultimately facilitate consumers in interpreting the nutrition facts information and translating them into a guidance for healthy food choices.