Influence of traffic-light food labelling on consumers’ choices

Question for written answer
to the Commission
Rule 130
Alfred Sant (S&D)

E-006189
Subject: Influence of traffic-light food labelling on consumers’ choices

In June 2013 the United Kingdom Department of Health introduced a voluntary system of food labelling — called traffic-light labelling — which ranks products into three different categories (green, yellow and red) based on the amount of salt, sugar, fat and saturated fat they contain.
A recent study analyses the sales data of a sample of three products involved in this system (Parma ham, Parmigiano Reggiano and French Brie), recorded between 2013 and 2015 by the UK’s biggest retailer. While products without traffic-light labelling registered an overall increase in their sales volume, significant declines in sales and losses of market share are particularly evident for the same products in the presence of yellow and, especially, red lights.
These results confirm the influence that the system is able to have on consumers, leading them not to buy products, without providing correct and transparent information on the label.
Given this situation, does the Commission consider it necessary to further explore the findings emerging from the abovementioned study by conducting a global economic and commercial assessment of the impact generated by the use of traffic-light labelling by UK retailers?

Answer given by Ms Bieńkowska
on behalf of the Commission
(29.9.2016)

The legislation mentioned by the Honourable Members is still under examination. In the course of this examination, the Commission aims to ensure that the development of these schemes is compatible with the internal market rules, and prevent unnecessary market fragmentation. At the same time, the Commission is fully committed to the protection of public health.

In accordance with Article 35 of Regulation 1169/2011, the Commission shall by 13 December 2017, in the light of the experience gained, submit a report to the European Parliament and the Council on the use of additional forms of expression and presentation, on their effect on the internal market and on the advisability of further harmonisation of those forms of expression and presentation. For this purpose, Member States must provide the Commission with relevant information concerning the use of such additional forms of expression or presentation on the market in their territory. The Commission may accompany this report with proposals to modify the relevant Union provisions

E-006189

L-influenza tat-tikkettar tal-ikel skont kodiċi ta’ kuluri (traffic-light labelling) fuq l-għażla tal-konsumaturi
F’Ġunju 2013 id-Dipartiment tas-Saħħa tar-Renju Unit introduċa sistema volontarja ta’ tikkettar tal-ikel — imsejħa tikkettar skont kodiċi ta’ kuluri — li tikklassifka l-prodotti fi tliet kategoriji differenti (aħdar, isfar u aħmar) abbażi tal-ammont ta’ melħ, zokkor, xaħam u xaħam saturat li jkun fihom.
Studju reċenti analizza d-data tal-bejgħ ta’ kampjun ta’ tliet prodotti involuti f’din is-sistema (Parma ham, Parmigiano Reggiano u French Brie), irrekordjata bejn l-2013 u l-2015 mill-akbar bejjiegħ bl-imnut fir-Renju Unit. Filwaqt li l-prodotti mingħajr tikkettar skont kodiċi ta’ kuluri irreġistraw żieda ġenerali fil-volum tal-bejgħ tagħhom, kien evidenti tnaqqis sinifikanti fil-bejgħ u fit-telf tas-sehem fis-suq għall-istess prodotti li kellhom il-kulur isfar u speċjalment dawk bl-aħmar.
Dawn ir-riżultati jikkonfermaw l-influenza li s-sistema jista’ jkollha fuq il-konsumaturi, li jwassalhom li ma jixtrux prodotti, mingħajr ma jkollhom l-informazzjoni korretta u trasparenti fuq it-tikketta.
Minħabba din is-sitwazzjoni, il-Kummissjoni tqisha meħtieġa li tkompli tesplora s-sejbiet li ħarġu mill-istudju msemmi hawn fuq billi tniedi valutazzjoni ekonomika u kummerċjali globali tal-impatt li ħalla l-użu ta’ tikkettar skont kodiċi ta’ kuluri mill-bejjiegħa bl-imnut fir-Renju Unit?

E-006189/2016
Tweġiba tas-Sinjura Bieńkowska f’isem il-Kummissjoni
(29.9.2016)

Il-leġiżlazzjoni msemmija mill-Onorevoli Membri għadha qed tiġi eżaminata. Fil-kuntest ta’ dan l-eżami, il-Kummissjoni għandha l-għan li tiżgura li l-iżvilupp ta’ dawn l-iskemi jkun kompatibbli mar-regoli tas-suq intern, u li tevita l-frammentazzjoni bla bżonn tas-suq. Fl-istess ħin, il-Kummissjoni hija impenjata bis-sħiħ għall-protezzjoni tas-saħħa pubblika.

Skont l-Artikolu 35 tar-Regolament 1169/2011, il-Kummissjoni, fid-dawl tal-esperjenza miksuba, għandha tippreżenta sat-13 ta’ Diċembru 2017, rapport lill-Parlament Ewropew u lill-Kunsill dwar l-użu ta’ forom addizzjonali ta’ espressjoni u ta’ preżentazzjoni, dwar l-effett tagħom fuq is-suq intern u dwar ir-rakkomandabbiltà ta’ aktar armonizzazzjoni ta’ dawk il-forom ta’ espressjoni u ta’ preżentazzjoni. Għal dan il-għan, l-Istati Membri jridu jipprovdu lill-Kummissjoni l-informazzjoni rilevanti rigward l-użu ta’ forom addizzjonali ta’ espressjoni jew ta’ preżentazzjoni bħal dawn fis-suq fit-territorju tagħhom. Il-Kummissjoni tista’ takkumpanja dan ir-rapport bi proposti biex temenda d-dispożizzjonijiet rilevanti tal-Unjoni.