• Labels and claims on food should be clear and unambiguous — where they are not, enforcement action should be undertaken to ensure that they are.
• Misleading and unsubstantiated images should not be used to convey inappropriate messages, particularly about production methods.
• Whether private or public, all food standards for food labels and claims should be developed with stakeholder involvement and respond to the public interest.
• Where explicit claims and statements are communicated to consumers, these should be validated by third-party verification to ensure validity and consumer confidence.
• Claims that state or imply that “legally required standards” are being met are irrelevant for consumers, and should be prohibited.
• There is a need for the development and adoption of a mandatory, harmonised worldwide standard for catching tuna that does not harm dolphins.
• Consideration should be given to adopting harmonised international organic logos and labels.
• Brand names should not be derived from emotive words and images such as natural, quality, pure, fresh and bio.
• The nature of any association, endorsement or link, with, for example, an environmental or farming organisation, be it for fundraising, awareness raising or endorsement of a particular quality or production standard, should be stated explicitly and clearly alongside the logo or claim.
• Definitions and accurate explanations of terms for sustainable food production and consumption are needed, particularly for consumer education and food labelling.
• Guidelines for interpreting misleading food claims, words and terms should include sustainability issues.
• Further research is needed to investigate the extent of language and translation problems of food claims, to agree definitions of terms, and to ensure that consumers are not being misled.

For more information, visit: www.consumersinternational.org

Label to look for

The EU maintains a set of standards that regulate the production, processing and marketing of organic products. They hold for organic goods produced in the EU or imported into the EU. Only agricultural products that meet these regulations can use the EC’s “Organic Farming” label.