Guerreiro wants to avoid misleading use of the term “natural” on food products

Brussels, 10 February 2021 – Under the initiative of MEP Francisco Guerreiro (Greens/EFA), MEPs want to avoid the misleading use of the term “natural” on food products and ask the European Commission to provide a clear definition of “natural” in the European Union’s food legislation.

The Regulation on natural and health claims made on food (No 1924/2006) explicitly mentions that food labelling criteria “would aim to avoid a situation where nutrition or health claims mask the overall nutritional status of a food product, which could mislead consumers when trying to make healthy choices in the context of a balanced diet.”

However, in a letter sent to the Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Stella Kyriakides, MEPs argue that the regulation is not being respected since ‘natural’-labelled products are being sold containing synthetic and chemicals substances that are far from being considered “natural”.

Therefore, in cooperation with Safe Food Advocacy Europe (SAFE), the signatories of this letter also call on the EC to ensure that EU food law foresees criteria to use the term “Natural” on labels to ensure proper information to consumers, to present information as the origin of the ingredients and the real composition of the products in a way that is easily recognisable by the consumers, and where natural-labelled products are GMO-free, synthetic substances free and 100% biodegradable.

Read the full letter below.

See the Commissioner's reply also below.

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