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More than half of the labels of pre-packaged food products do not comply with European standards, the Belgian Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC) reports. One in every five cases even showed such serious deficiencies the agency drew up official proceedings.
Health risk
Between 11 and 17 June, the FASFC carried out an extensive inspection campaign on the labelling of pre-packed food in Belgium. 150 inspectors visited more than 1,240 traders, finding out that more than half of the inspections found labels that did not comply with European regulations.
The checks showed that 53 % of the labels were missing mandatory disclosures. In 20 % of these cases, there was even a health risk. Common shortcomings were the absence of a correct best-before date (33 %), an incorrect ingredients list (22 %) and missing allergen information (20 %). In almost a quarter of cases, the label did not contain the correct language.
Immediate action
In two-thirds of those unfavourable inspections, the FASFC issued a warning, while official proceedings were drawn up in the other third. Several dozen issues were reported to companies in Bulgaria, Germany, the Netherlands and Poland.
The FASFC carries out such inspections throughout the year, but this was the first time such a coordinated action was held at national level, with the aim of raising awareness among food companies. Besides inspections, the agency also offers courses to inform professionals about labelling rules.
