- General labelling law
- Nutritional information
- Regulation (EU) No. 1169/2011 on the Provision of Food Information to Consumers
- Royal Decree on the Provision of Food Information on Non-packaged Foods
- Labelling of substances that cause allergies and food intolerances
- Information on the absence or reduced presence of gluten
- Information Notes
- Information System on Food Labelling
Nutritional information
01/03/2017
SINCE 13 DECEMBER 2014
Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers, introduces, as a new feature, a mandatory label on nutritional information for most processed foods. The elements which must be declared are as follows: the energy value, fats, saturated fats, carbohydrates, sugars, proteins and salt; all these elements must be displayed in the same visual field. In addition, information relating to the energy value may be repeated in the main visual field alone or with the quantities of fats, saturated fats, sugars and salt. The expression "per 100 g or per 100 ml" must be used, to facilitate the comparison of products, and in addition the declaration "per portion" should be allowed and be of voluntary nature.
With respect to trans fatty acids, the European Commission shall submit a report, within a 3-year period, that may be accompanied by a legislative proposal.
The obligatory nutritional information may optionally be supplemented with the values of other nutrients including: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, polyalcohols, starch, food fibre, vitamins or minerals.
In addition, the new regulation permits the indication of the energy value and the quantities of nutrients by means of other forms of expression (pictograms or symbols, such as the traffic light system), provided they comply with certain criteria, for example, that consumers find them comprehensible and that they do not create obstacles to the free movement of goods. Within six years the Commission shall submit a report on the advisability of further harmonisation.
Nevertheless, a series of food categories are exempted from the requirement of the mandatory nutrition declaration. This is the case of alcoholic drinks that have more than 1.2% alcohol content, non-packaged foods and those listed in Annex V of the Regulation.
The mandatory nutritional information in accordance with the rules of Regulation 1169/2011 is not required until 13 December 2016. However, when a food provides nutritional information voluntarily or must provide it by making nutritional or healthy property declarations, or if it is a food to which vitamins, minerals and other substances have been added, it shall comply with the new requirements from 13 December 2014.
A table summarising all the provisions of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the content and form of expression of the nutritional declaration is included below.
EUROPEAN COMMISSION GUIDES FOR COMPETENT AUTHORITIES