Labelling of animal food
16.12.2015
Question for written answer E-015853-15
to the Commission
Rule 130
Isabella Adinolfi (EFDD)
The manufacturers of pet food promote their products by using striking images designed to grab consumers' attention.
While Regulation (EC) No 767/2009 requires that manufacturers specify ingredients and quantities on labels, it does not lay down any minimum percentage for boasting a specific ingredient in the name of a product. Take, for example, the minimum amount of salmon that a product must contain in order for it to be called ‘salmon paté’.
There are only guidelines, drawn up by producer groups (and therefore non-binding), which fix that amount at 4% — a really ridiculous percentage.
These rules enable manufacturers and/or distributors to create a misleading advertising image, when what they are actually doing is inducing consumers to make uninformed and/or wrong choices, by not enabling them to compare products objectively.
Under Article 6 of Directive 2005/29/EC, these commercial practices could be regarded as ‘misleading actions’ and possibly also be in breach of Article 169 TFEU, designed to protect consumers.
Can the Commission therefore say:
- 1.what specific measures it intends to take in order to protect consumers fully and effectively;
- 2.whether it does not consider it necessary to propose an amendment to Regulation (EC) No 767/2009 in order to regulate the labelling aspect more specifically and in greater detail?