Presentation of an ECA report on food labelling

Food labelling rules in the EU aim to give citizens information about the content and characteristics of food products and to help them to make informed purchasing decisions. The objective of the audit by the European Court of Auditors (ECA) was to assess the usefulness of EU food labelling. Overall, the ECA concluded that it is helpful but found notable gaps in the legal framework and weaknesses in implementation. Member States have implemented diverse ways to compensate for missing elements, causing different information being available across the EU. In addition, consumers do not always understand the information and education campaign are too sporadic. The ECA recommends that the Commission address the gaps in the legal framework, increase efforts to analyse labelling practices, monitor consumer expectations and take action to improve their understanding of food labels, strengthen member states' checks on voluntary labels and online retail, and improve reporting on food labelling.