Is What You See What You Get On Food Labels?

OXFORDSHIRE County Council has joined forces with trading standards services across the South East of England to call on the food industry to give consumers the true picture on food labels.

A survey has revealed that consumers are cynical about the accuracy of pictures on food labels. They may not bother to complain about potentially misleading foods and this can make it difficult for trading standards services to challenge the food companies.

Nineteen authorities took 223 samples with experts judging that just over 10% of the pictures on the labels, when compared to the product inside, could have been misleading. The worst offenders were desserts, breakfast cereals and meat pies/stews.

Six of the worst offenders were then presented to ordinary consumers. One product picture was found to be misleading by 95% of the consumers surveyed with the other five being judged to be misleading by between 77% to 37% of the consumers.

However only 13% of the consumers who found the pictures misleading would complain to Trading Standards. Reasons varied from feeling that we have more important things to do to saying that the whole industry had to change its ways.

Trading Standards services would like to assure consumers that their complaints about food labels they feel to be misleading are taken seriously.

Although action may not be taken on every occasion, by complaining consumers are helping build a bigger picture so that we can challenge the food companies more effectively on these issues.

Head of Trading Standards Nigel Strick said, ?Pictures on food labels are important as food companies use them as a marketing tool. Consumers are entitled to expect them to be truthful. Whilst some leeway may be given for marketing it is a sad reflection that many consumers simply do not feel able to rely on the expectation created by the food industry on its packaging.?