Marketing terms for food labelling revised

Caterers who put the terms 'fresh', 'pure' and 'natural' on their menus should now check revised guidance from the Food Standards Agency before doing so.

The Agency consulted more than 1200 stakeholder organisations about the labelling guidance that it issued in 2002.

The revised guidance includes advice on the use of new terms.

These include: farmhouse pâté, handmade, quality, selected, premium, finest and best.

It also has new advice for some of the terms that were in the previous guidance – and advises against the use of some terms that can cause confusion.

Stephen Pugh, head of the Food Labelling Branch at the Food Standards Agency "Marketing terms are useful to enable industry to differentiate their products but need to be used in a way that is meaningful to consumers.

"In our guidance, developed with consumer organisations, industry and enforcement bodies, we have suggested the conditions when certain marketing terms can be used. These conditions reflect current consumer understanding and perceptions of these terms."

The guidance assists manufacturers, producers, retailers and caterers decide when these descriptions may be used and when they should not.

Use of these terms as set out in the guidance will benefit consumers, by encouraging consistent, transparent labelling practices.

To download the new guidance click here.

Words: Clare Riley

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