A Labour MEP today attacked the European Commission's "foolish plans" to launch proceedings against the UK for use of the traffic light food labelling system.
Glenis Willmott MEP, Labour MEP for the East Midlands and Labour's European spokesperson on health and food, said:
"I am surprised and disappointed the Commission has ploughed ahead with foolish plans to challenge the UK's voluntary use of the traffic light labelling scheme.
"When I was part of negotiating EU food labelling laws we made it clear that countries could introduce voluntary labelling schemes.
"Consumers like the traffic light scheme because it gives them the information they need to make quick, informed decisions. If we’re serious about tackling obesity and related diseases like heart disease, cancer and diabetes, we need to be transparent about what is in our food."
The traffic light system, announced in June last year, has been praised by health campaigners for giving consumers the information they need to make educated choices about what they eat.
Glenis Willmott MEP added:
"The easiest and most effective way to implement the traffic light scheme with legal certainty would be through EU legislation, and I think this is something we could still achieve in the future."
For further information, please contact Shamik Das on 0044 7920 441362 or 0032 479 790053.
www.eurolabour.org.uk • @EuroLabour
