The growth of label printing technology brings with it several different styles and possible approaches to the problem of making proper food labels, and what pleases some groups stands a chance of angering others. We’ve seen it with meat labels and the various producers in other countries, and another example has arisen in regards to a color-based “traffic light” system suggested for use in the U.K. earlier this year.
According to the Guardian, Italian scientists and politicians are arguing against this system, which uses red, green and yellow colors similar to a stoplight to signal to consumers the amount of certain ingredients included in different food packages (green for “low,” red for “high”).
Though these labels specifically target additives like fat and salt that are supposedly contributing to obesity and other health problems, Italy apparently believes that these labels would unfairly discriminate against the food products of that country and not lead toward better dietary decisions, instead furthering political biases.
Mario Guidi of the Italian organization Confagricoltura defended the foods that would be labeled as dangerous by emphasizing the principles of moderation.
“Some types of food products – among them cheeses, meats, confectionery products and jams… would, according to the new guidelines of the [British] department [of health], be placed in the group identified by the color red … But it is not the product in itself but its incorrect consumption which is harmful,” Guidi said.
It might not be clear how something as simple as a warning label for additives might rouse the anger of an important partner in your distribution network. Making labels can bring great profits, but must be handled responsibly and with intelligence.
Jayce says
Articles like this really grease the shafts of knlegedow.