EPHA Position on Nutrient Profiles

A key objective of this Regulation is to ensure that nutrition and health claims on foods are based on reliable scientific evidence, so that consumers are not misled by inaccurate or confusing claims. With the current proposal, EPHA feels this objective will not be met.

The Commission has been devising a model to classify products according to dietary recommendations whilst the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), in its role of a risk assessor, has been reviewing and developing the list of acceptable claims. The purpose of having nutrient profiles is to ensure that there is an established mechanism determining which foods are in fact eligible to bear a nutrition or health claim.

The initial intention was that all food products wishing to display a claim would have to undergo nutrient profiling. However, following inter-service consultation, the Commission is now planning to exempt a great number of products (such as traditional products, milk, meat) from the nutrition profiling system. If the list of exemption grows, or the nutrient profile is broken down into different food categories (e.g a particular nutrient profile for biscuits or for breakfast cereals), customers will be misled as to which products are in fact genuinely healthy.

EPHA is concerned that such developments would render the Regulation ineffective. It is our belief that only those products that provide an overall contribution to a healthy diet should be entitled to bear a health claim. This would prevent products that have a negative impact on public health (e.g. products with a high fat, salt or sugar content) from claiming health or nutritional benefits.

EPHA will support a position whereby nutrition and health claims may only be placed on food products that provide an overall contribution to a healthier diet. This will enable consumers to make healthier choices

Nutrient profiles should ensure a systematic, transparent and consistent approach to ensuring that health claims are relevant to public health.

For more information

ALDE Public Hearing on Efficient Food Labelling in Fighting Obesity