Check out this month’s labeling updates with news from the European Union and the United Kingdom.
EU: Nutri-Score Algorithm Update for Solid Foods Including Nuts
In the report “Update of the Nutri-Score algorithm”, the Scientific Committee of the Nutri-Score (ScC) recommends the addition of nuts and seeds to the fats and oils category, along with the removal of nuts from the ingredients list qualifying for the “Fruit, vegetables and legumes” component of the Nutri-Score.
Those changes will allow a better discrimination for nuts, correction of some boundaries and a better alignment between the classifications and nutritional recommendations.
EU: Front-of-Pack Nutrition Labeling
The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) published an update of the former publication regarding the effects of front-of-pack nutrition labeling (FOPNL) schemes on consumers’ understanding, food purchases, diet and health, as well as food reformulation. It was produced to further inform the Commission’s proposal for harmonized mandatory FOPNL announced in the Farm to Fork Strategy. Findings include that healthy food groups such as nuts, fruits and legumes, and less healthy products are generally well discriminated.
UK: Update on Food Labeling Guidance
On September 20, 2022, the UK Government announced that the application of its new rules on labeling for consumers and labeling for organics would be delayed from October 1, 2022 until January 1, 2024.
Enforcement for Brexit label changes require labeling changes for goods sold in Great Britain by December 31, 2023. Other updated changes are related with the business name and address, which has to be placed on the packaging or food label of pre-packed food products.
In terms of organic goods, Great Britain labeling changes have been delayed from September 30, 2022 until December 31, 2023. One of the following statements on all organic pre-packed products produced in Great Britain must be included:
- UK Agriculture’ – where the agricultural ingredients are produced in the UK
- ‘UK or non-UK Agriculture’ – where the product is produced using a mixture of agricultural ingredients grown in the UK and outside the UK
- ‘Non-UK Agriculture’ – where the agricultural ingredients are produced outside the UK