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Supermarkets: Labelling

Volume 462: debated on Thursday 12 July 2007

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will discuss with major supermarkets labelling food packing with larger type of pricing and ingredients for the elderly and the visually impaired. (148790)

The Food Standards Agency is the Department responsible for food labelling. Label clarity is one of a range of issues on which the Agency is in regular contact with key stakeholders, including retailers.

European Union food labelling legislation, which is currently subject to review, requires that labelling information should be easy to understand, clearly legible, indelible and easily visible. In addition to legislative requirements, the Agency has produced guidance on clear food labelling, which takes into account the needs of the visually impaired by suggesting a minimum font size. This guidance is being revised and will shortly be issued for public consultation.

Price information is covered by the Price Marking Order 2004. This requires that price indications must be clearly legible, unambiguous and easily identifiable. The Agency has received no representations that consumers find such information difficult to read.