Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 12: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food her views on the recent survey by a company (details supplied) of 17,000 consumers that found that 80% of respondents found traffic light labelling more comprehensible than guideline daily amount labelling; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that neither the recent Review of Food Labelling Legislation nor the EU's Nutrition Labelling Review of Technical Issues considered the relative merits of traffic light labelling and GDA labelling; her views in view of the fact that there is no evidence that research has been conducted into this issue using funding by her Department on providing such funding and coordinating with the Department of Health and Children to commission such a study; if not, the reason for same; the other labelling research undertaken by Government Departments and agencies which she referred to in Parliamentary Question No. 352 of 20 February 2007 that has any bearing on the question of the relative merits of traffic light and GDA labelling; and if she will make a statement on the argument that introducing traffic light labelling here would negatively affect the production of Irish cheeses which are high in fat. [9073/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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In her reply to Parliamentary Question No. 352 of 20 February 2007 the Minister for Health & Children stated that the European Commission is currently reviewing food labelling legislation. Ireland's submission to the Commission on this subject was co-ordinated by that Department and included comments on the use of symbols and signposting on food labels.

Central to the concept of food labelling is that the consumer should not be misled. In addition, consumers should be provided with sufficient clear information to allow them to make food consumption choices which best suit their circumstances and preferences: an appropriate labelling system is a key element to enable these informed choices to be made.

The intention of the 'traffic light' nutrition labelling system is to provide a clear and simple means to allow consumers to select healthier foods to support a healthier diet. However, at present, there are some concerns that such signposting information, which is essentially summary information, may be used selectively and the information provided may not reflect the full nutritional value of the product. An excellent example is given in the Deputy's question where labelling products such as cheese with a fat indicator could certainly mislead the consumer as to the nutritional value of the product.

There would also appear to be a profusion of front of pack labelling schemes in addition to the UK Food Safety Agency (FSA) 'traffic light' system. The principal basis of alternative schemes is the use of Guideline Daily Amounts (GDAs). However, there are many different presentations of the GDA approach on products available on the Irish market — some with traffic light colour coding and others where colour is not relevant in interpreting the GDA information provided. Consequently there is a concern that rather than providing clarity to consumers, current front of pack labelling may actually be adding to consumer confusion.

Like the Minister for Health & Children, I have no proposals at present to commission research. I do not rule out the possibility that it may be worthwhile to consider such research at some later stage. I also agree with her view that clarity in food labelling needs to be achieved through the development of a consumer-friendly, EU wide approach to nutrition labelling. The Department of Health & Children and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland are focusing efforts on the nutrition labelling reform process currently underway in the European Union, where front of pack labelling will be examined.

I have also raised the matter of accurate food labelling in the Council of Ministers as well as in bilateral contact with Commissioners Fischer Boel and Kyprianou.