Guest Post:
The Food Information Regulation, otherwise known as FIR, is set to take effect on December 13, and food manufacturers are doing their best to accommodate the changes that will take place with regards to food labelling. The problem, though, is that the majority of food manufacturers aren’t yet ready, even with the year half gone. In fact, 80% claim that they need more time to adjust to the changes that need to be implemented.
What is the FIR?
The FIR’s goal is to make food labels easier for consumers to read and comprehend. This will give them more power when it comes to choosing the foods that they want to consume for their health and wellness. Some of the main changes include the following:
- Companies will have to list the country of origin for fresh and frozen meats, as well as the origin of any main ingredients in a product if they are received from a different area from which the product is produced.
- Nutrition information will be easier to find and read on a food label.
- The font size used on a food label will be set so that all consumers will be able to read the information with ease. This pertains to the mandatory information on a food label, in particular.
- Allergens for both pre-packaged and loose foods will have to be listed clearly on the label and highlighted on pre-packaged items.
- Caffeinated drinks will need to be labelled with the caffeine content and warnings to individuals who shouldn’t consume caffeine, such as children, pregnant women, and nursing mothers.
- The types of vegetable oils used in a food must be individually labelled.
- Fish products and meats that contain over 5% added water will also need to state this information on the label.
Campden BRI Survey Gets Results
As you can see, there are a lot of changes coming to the food labels that you’re used to, and manufacturers have to do their best to get all of this information together and create detailed labels for each and every one of their products. It’s no surprise, therefore, that the vast majority of manufacturers are finding it difficult to meet the deadline for the new labels.
A Campden BRI survey, in particular, has found that, after analysing five samples from each of the four food categories (meat, prepared meals, flour and bakery, and confectionery), only four of the items complied with the new regulations. Four other items needed some minor changes before being up to the new standards that have been set.
Common Labelling Issues
It’s important to note that these delays should have been expected. Multiple teams of employees are often necessary to tackle this big project, especially if a single company sells thousands of products that have varying labelling requirements because of their ingredients. Plus, different products have labels of differing sizes, making it more difficult to design a label that will conform to the standards, be easy to read, and still grab the attention of the eyes of a consumer in the grocery store.
According to the Campden BRI survey’s results, there are some common labelling issues that are occurring across many different manufacturers, from those that specialise in pre-packaged meals to those selling fresh and whole ingredients like those found at Co-Op Food.
One of the biggest problems comes with labelling the country of origin of meat products, as companies quickly became confused by what information was required, such as where the animal was reared and where it was slaughtered.
Another common issue is the simple fact that it can take half a year just to implement the changes. In other words, between the time that a company decides to change their labels to the time that the new labels are produced and ready to be used, six months could pass, and this time will pass very quickly.
The key to avoiding future delays, though, lies in manufacturers getting their labels completed long before the December deadline. Avoiding the most common mistakes that are being made will help make the transition to these new labels and rules a smooth one that will benefit both businesses and consumers.
