Benn calls for clearer labelling in food strategy

The strategy sets out what the UK must do to secure food for 2030 and beyond.

It calls for a review of nutritional labelling, carbon footprinting, best before, sell-by and use-by dates as well as the reduction of packaging and portion sizes.

The focus of the report has been on the farming industry and few specifics have been given regarding how labelling should be improved.

“We do want better and more accurate nutritional labelling,” Benn told delegates, adding that the country must “deal with the waste involved in food production and consumption”.

The Brand Union’s executive head of consulting Rosie McMurray suggested on-pack labelling could learn from the road-sign model designed in the 1950s.

“It is striking in its simplicity, combines different types of information using colour and very simple visual symbols and is universally understood,” she said.

Creative agency Boxer took a similar approach when it created a nutritional labelling scheme for McDonald’s that was launched at the Winter Olympics in Toronto in 2006.

The agency created a system using iconography to convey nutritional information.

Account director Liz Hayward told Packaging News: “It’s always been a system we’ve known might have to be flexible and adaptable as legislation changes.”

Click here for today’s headlines from across the packaging industry.

Popular Articles