Headline: Greens supports Govt food labelling research
With so many products on the supermarket shelf that make so many claims, it will be great when New Zealanders have the easy recognisable information they need to make healthy decisions
The Green Party supports moves from the Government towards providing New Zealanders with better information about what’s in our food and drink, but is sceptical about how well their approach of a voluntary, star system can work.
“Reading the tiny, confusing labels on the back of packets is hard work, so we are really pleased that the Government has promised to progress work on clear front of pack labelling for New Zealanders,” Green Party food spokesperson Mojo Mathers said.
“However, to be truly effective in helping people to compare foods and make healthy choices, we believe that mandatory front of pack labelling will result in better outcomes.
“Research shows that to have a meaningful impact on consumer decisions, front of pack labelling needs to be used widely. If there is a low uptake by the food industry then a voluntary scheme will not have the desired health benefits.
“Clarity is also important. The Green Party has preferred the traffic light approach to labelling because it has been proven effective and acceptable with consumers around the world and in New Zealand, which star systems have not been.
“We therefore support the Government’s plan to research acceptability and comprehensibility of the star system.
“With so many products on the supermarket shelf that make so many claims, it will be great when New Zealanders have the easy recognisable information they need to make healthy decisions.
“We are hoping that the Government’s announcement of more research on this issue will lead to some decisions to put a system in place in the very near future.”
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