Food Labelling Review Action Plan - Summary of Recommendations

Comprehensive ingredient listing: press for amendments to EU legislation to the remove all ingredient listing exemptions for major allergens, delete the '25% rule', and extend ingredient listing rules to alcoholic drinks
Country of origin: press for clear EU rules on use of terms like 'produce of' press for EU rules requiring origin labelling on a wider range of foods
Method of production: encourage industry to provide more information on production systems, particularly welfare standards, post-harvest use of pesticides and wax coatings on fruit and vegetables and use of growth hormones
Nutrition labelling: press for EU rules requiring nutrition labelling on all foods commission consumer research (ideally in collaboration with consumer groups and industry) to define the ideal content and format
GM ingredients: strongly support the European Commission proposal to require the labelling of GM animal feed to complement existing GM labelling rules press the European Commission to introduce clear rules for 'GM free' labelling assess the extent to which GM labelling is being enforced once the results of the surveillance exercise are available

set up a task force with consumer and industry representatives to find and implement ways of improving label clarity.

work with consumers, enforcement authorities and industry to develop and implement a Code of Practice on voluntary labelling
Foods for children: work with consumers, enforcement authorities and industry to develop and implement a Code of Practice on promotion of foods to children
Perceived misuse of 'may contain' labelling of allergens: work with industry and public interest groups to reduce the use of 'may contain nut traces' warnings, work with industry and public interest groups to provide clear advice to consumers on the reasons behind the use of these warnings and what they mean
Nutrition Claims: press for early adoption of statutory EU criteria for nutrition claims, based on our current advice
Health claims: press for EU legislation which allows disease risk reduction claims, press for an effective and practical system of verification and approval of health claims at EU level
Marketing terms like fresh, traditional etc. encourage industry to adopt clear, transparent criteria for use of potentially misleading terms like fresh, traditional etc.

explore with consumers, enforcement authorities and industry how to improve information provision in catering outlets, and for loose foods, paying particular attention to the needs of those with food allergies, retain the UK's national requirement for catering establishments to convey information on the presence of GM or irradiated ingredients

encourage industry to develop initiatives that provide additional product information off label assess the potential impact of food e-tailing on the level of consumer protection

develop and disseminate clear advice on use of labels, develop resource material for use in schools explaining how information on foods can be found on labels and elsewhere, and work with DfEE and other interested parties on ways to promote effective use of this material in schools