Typical marketing instruments – such as colour coding and scale – are being used to influence consumer purchasing behaviour, argues EDA board member Valentina Zanetti. Mars, amongst others, does not agree.
The European Commission is yet to reveal what front-of-pack (FOP) labelling scheme it plans to roll out by the end of 2022. It has confirmed that whatever format the nutrition label takes, it will be harmonised and mandatory.
The planned introduction of a such a scheme – examples include Nutri-Score, Traffic Light, NutrInform Battery, and Keyhole – has been welcomed by a good number of health experts, retailers, and food makers.
Others, however, argue that such simplified, colour-coded schemes serve as a marketing tool for industry.