EU VOTES ON STANDARD FOOD LABELS
Baku, June 16 (AZERTAC). Euro MPs have backed plans for more uniform food labelling in the EU, but they rejected "traffic light" colour coding of foods, BBC reports.
MEPs opted for Guideline Daily Amounts (GDAs), instead of red warning labels for foods seen as unhealthy because they are high in fat, sugar or salt.
Some food producers lobbied intensively against colour coding, fearing it would demonise their products.
The MEPs` vote could lead to new food labels in three to five years` time.
The leader of the UK Labour group in the European Parliament, Glenis Willmott, said that despite the rejection of "traffic lights" the new rules "make it clear that we won`t stand for people being misled by food packaging".
Key nutritional information, including salt, fat and sugar content, will have to go on the front of the pack.
EU government ministers will now consider the legislation, and more amendments are likely.
Country of origin is another area where MEPs and the European Commission feel that food labels are often misleading.
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