Regulation & Safety

© iStock/bogdandreava

A 20% sugar cut by 2020? ‘It won’t be possible,’ says FDF

By Niamh Michail

A 20% sugar cut across all food categories by 2020 – as per voluntary targets set by the UK government – is not technically possible, nor would it be acceptable to consumers, industry lobby the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has said.

MEPs call on EU to create food quality agency

MEPs call on EU to create food quality agency

By Louis Gore-Langton

Food products sold under the same label continually show inconsistent standards of quality, particularly in Eastern Europe, prompting calls for a new regulatory body in the EU.

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Be warned: obesity plans make for easy targets

By David Burrows

The UK's childhood obesity strategy has been criticised again – this time in an analysis published in the British Medical Journal. Will all this flak put other EU countries off the idea?

BakeryAndSnacks invites you to attend its panel debate on Product Recall at ProSweets in Cologne. Pic: ©istock/Pogonici

Dealing with Recalls – Prevention and How to Avoid a PR Disaster for Candy and Snacks

UN consultant joins BakeryAndSnacks Product Recall Debate

By Gill Hyslop

BakeryAndSnacks is hosting a panel discussion on how snacks and candy makers can best deal with product recalls at ProSweets in Cologne.

The industry is unsure what measures, if any, it will be able to take to keep the free range labels through the bird flu crisis ©iStock/caelmi

Pressure and confusion builds over free range egg labelling

By Louis Gore-Langton

Poultry in Europe is being kept indoors to prevent the spread of bird flu, after 12 weeks all hens will no longer be free range; what, if anything, can the industry do to keep the free range status through the crisis?

Being overweight before or during pregnancy can determine a child's development ©iStock

Obese parents triple obese offspring risk, experts warn

By Louis Gore-Langton

EarlyNutrition, a project comprised of 36 international research institutions, has released its final report following five years of investigation. The report sends a grave warning to parents and those planning for families on the dangers of parental...

IPES: Existing EU food policies 'do not fit together, and are not delivering – individually or collectively.' ©iStock

Europe’s Plan B: The ‘Common Food Policy’

By Louis Gore-Langton

An independent think tank, IPES, has been set up to advise the EU and work towards creating a common food policy that would create a sustainable, healthy and profitable food system – a ‘plan B’ to the failures of the current framework.

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Industry backs ban of online junk food ads for children

By Louis Gore-Langton

Industry has given its support to a new ruling by the UK's Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) on marketing junk food to children that will increase restrictions to cover non-broadcast media, including print, cinema and online social media.

© iStock/Tonygers

Made in Switzerland 'Swissness' law to enter in force 1 January 2017

'Unfortunate': Nestlé to lose Swiss cross on 80 brands

By Niamh Michail

Nestlé will be forced to drop the Swiss cross from 80 products manufactured in Switzerland following a new law on 'Swissness' set to come into force in January next year. "This is very unfortunate," the head of Nestlé Switzerland has...

The Parliament has spoken...but how long will it take the EC to define trans fat limits? © iStock

EC called on to fast-track impact assessment

MEPs vote to limit trans fats in EU

By Niamh Michail

MEPs have overwhelmingly voted to adopt a resolution pushing for a European limit on industrially produced trans fats, something industry has said it supports at 2%.

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Under-12s seeing 88% fewer ads for non-nutritious products, says industry

Game over for food marketing to kids, says consumer group

By Niamh Michail

Food and drink companies need to turn their words on marketing to children into action, says European consumer rights group BEUC, as it calls 'game over' on marketing unhealthy food to kids.

Choices chopped: Consumer groups are celebrating the end of the industry-backed tick but have already denounced the replacement app as insufficient.  © iStock/DragonImages

Option paralysis: Consumers were confused by 'Choices'

Dutch ditch healthy eating logo for an app

By Niamh Michail

The Dutch government has ordered the industry-led healthy eating logo to be phased out and replaced with an app that allows consumers to scan products for nutrition information.

Jute bags to transport cocoa and recyled paperboard packaging among the sources of mineral oils contamination in chocolate. ©iStock/Picsfive

Oil spills: How to combat mineral oils in chocolate

By Oliver Nieburg

Chocolate makers can thwart carcinogenic mineral oil contamination in products through regular testing, managing cocoa transportation and adding barrier layers in packaging, say scientists.