PN readers call for an end to label overload

The comments follow the news that TV chef Jamie Oliver spoke out against the use of labels on packs in a meeting at the House of Commons Select Committee on health inequalities this month.

“There are far too many labels and there is too much variation between food producers on how to inform the customers on the same issue,” said Birgir Birgisson.

Brigisson argued that at least some of the responsibility for consumers’ well being should be given back to the consumers themselves.

Tim Warner agreed: “With so much information already on packs the average shopper is already saturated with information.

“Now so much of it is mandatory it would be a brave brand owner who risked upsetting an interested group by dropping any of the information,” he added.

But it is the brand owners who are suffering, argued James Smith. On the one hand they are being asked to make packaging smaller and on the other they are being asked to put more information on packs.

“There are plenty of packs already where the shelf stand-out is ruined by the plethora of labels on the pack,” he wrote. “That, clearly is bad news for brands.”

Pack Man, meanwhile suggested that RFID readers could be used by consumers to scan packs for the required information so as not to ruin the appearance of the pack.

Join the debate here.

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