European Snacks Association position paper on mandatory Country of Origin labelling (COOL)

The European Snacks Association (ESA) is concerned that the recent calls for mandatory country of origin labelling fail to acknowledge the complex supply chains involved in the production of processed foods such as savoury snacks.

Any move to enforce mandatory origin provisions would cause severe difficulties for manufacturers who buy ingredients from multiple sources, according to factors such as availability or seasonal variations.

Country of origin labelling ultimately denies the market reality of a highly integrated European food industry and will restrict trade to the detriment of a single European market.

ESA recognises that consumers look for relevant information on finished products, both related to taste and nutrition. Origin labelling would have no added value as to understanding environmental costs and will ultimately result in information overload on pack.

The savoury snacks industry is committed to providing consumers with clear and simple food information that they need in order to be able to make an informed choice. Members of the European Snacks Association (ESA) comply with existing legislation which already foresees that the origin of foodstuffs must be given when the absence of this indication could mislead consumers as to the true origin of the product.

Thus, ESA welcomes the Commission proposal on food information as it argues that this general principle should be sufficient.