GDAs in Europe
GDA Labelling is gaining increasing popularity among food and drink producers in Europe.
On 29 September 2011 the EU Member States (Council) adopted the Food Information
Regulation. The new rules will allow the continuation of percentage of
guideline
daily amounts (GDAs) per portion indications on a voluntary basis on both front
and back of pack.
The next step is for the approved Regulation to be published in the Official
Journal of the EU in the final quarter of 2011. Once the Regulation comes into
force, twenty days after its publication, it will then have to be implemented
in the
UK.
The new rules will become compulsory three years after that publication date,
save for the mandatory nutrition declaration where the transitional period will
be
5 years.
European legislation impacting GDAs
In June 2006, the Confederation of the Food and Drink Industries (now
FoodDrinkEurope) introduced an EU set of GDAs based on Eurodiet recommendations (pdf, 172kb). The Eurodiet project, funded by the European Commission, provided a framework
for national food-based dietary targets and an action plan for the development
of
European dietary guidelines.
In 2007 the European Commission published the white paper (pdf, 46kb) on a Strategy for
Europe on Nutrition, Overweight and Obesity-related health issues, which
stressed
the
need for consumers to have access to clear, consistent and evidence-based
information. In this paper the Commission highlighted that nutrition labelling
is an
important tool to inform consumers about the composition of the foods and help
them make an informed choice.
In its consumer policy strategy 2007-2013 the Commission underlined that
allowing consumers to make informed choices was essential both to effective
competition
and
consumer welfare. As a result, on 30 January 2008 the European Commission
published its proposal for a regulation on Food Information to Consumers (pdf, 312kb).
In September 2011 the Regulation is adopted by the Council (EU Member States)
allowing for the voluntary use of GDAs on the front- and back-of-pack. The
White
Paper also highlighted certain nutritional components of importance to public
health such as salt, fat and saturates (saturated fat) which has subsequently
been
picked up in the proposal.
What others say
"The widespread adoption of GDA front-of-pack labelling is starting to make
a
very real difference to the way that food is produced, sold and consumed in
this
country."
Melanie Leech, Director General, Food and Drink Federation
"With GDA labels I can teach my patients about the importance of portion
size
and calories for all foods in their diet. With MTL labels I simply cannot"
Nigel Denby, Harley Street Dietitian
Last reviewed: 26 Oct 2011