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Bremerhaven (pte035/30.06.2003/15:09) - About 72 per cent of German consumers are demanding exhaustive information on the contents of their groceries, says a recent Emnid study http://www.tns-emnid.co .
Consumers are also complaining that the labels currently put on food packaging are not easy to understand, according to frozen foods producer Frosta http://www.frosta.de , which commissioned the study.
81 per cent of those surveyed said they relied on the label for information on what they were purchasing, but that the descriptions supplied were often not informative enough.
"Under the current guidelines, producers have the option to hide many additives under terms like 'grape-nut-mixture' or 'made of fruit'," said Udo Pollmer, scientific director of the European Institute for Food and Nutrition.
Newer EU guidelines scheduled to be introduced in 2005 will close this loophole. All contents that make up at least two per cent of the product must be listed on the label, compared to the current 25 per cent. This will, for example, force producers of 'fruit' yoghurt to include any artificial colours or aromas used.
According to the Emnid study, consumers are especially sensitised to the use of additives in foods. The majority are afraid that additives can cause allergies or other health problems. Under the new guidelines potential allergy-causing additives have to be listed. About 64 per cent would also like to know where the contents of food products come from.
The study questioned 1,000 people between the ages of 14 and 60.
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