EC confirms the existence of double standard in food
"Same brand, same label, different composition" - the issue of a double standard on food has been confirmed by an EC analysis. Results show that 9% of branded products differ in composition across intra-EU markets while exhibiting identical front-of-pack labeling. 22% of products with different compositions had similar front-of-pack, according to the report issued by EC. The survey, conducted in 19 European countries, suggest that differences can exist in nutrient composition and/or ingredients, but that these are not structurally linked to specific geographies and, for the most part, can be logically explained.
"The results are mixed: while I am happy that they found no evidence of an East-West divide in the composition of branded food products, I am worried that they uncovered up to one-third of tested products having different compositions while being identically or similarly branded", declared Tibor Navracsics, Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, responsible for the Joint Research Centre.
Based on the new methodology developed, national competent authorities will now be able to perform the case by case analysis required to determine misleading practices prohibited under EU consumer law. The Member States that participated in the survey were: Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and The Netherlands.
"There will be no double standards in Europe’s single market. With the new laws penalizing the dual quality and strengthening the hands of the consumer authorities, we have the tools at hand to put an end to this practice. European consumers will be able to do their shopping in full trust that they buy what they see", stated Vera Jourova, Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality.
Since the release of the findings, the EC has launched a new call for proposals with a total budget of €1.26 million to strengthen consumer organizations' capacities to test products and identify potentially misleading practices. The deadline for applications is 6 November 2019.
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