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Typical out-of-touch bureaucrat - Brussels and food package labels

Leave it to a middle-management fu*%-up to design something like this. From the London Daily Mail:

EU's new healthy eating food labels are so big they don't fit on the packet
Demands by the EU to fit nutritional information on to food packaging will not work because the labels are too big, food companies have complained.

Some of the world's biggest brands, including Nestle and Coca-Cola, claim the information panels are so large they will swamp packs, bottles and tins, and obscure logos and brands.

The problem stems from the fact that Brussels says nutrition information should be printed in large clear font at least 3mm tall so shoppers can see clearly the amount of calories, salt, saturated fat and sugar in what they are buying.

EU experts insist only large print will help shoppers choose healthy products and so prevent the rising tide of obesity and associated ill health.

But food and drink manufacturers are concerned that smaller portions - which do the most to combat obesity - will be covered in huge labels and so become unrecognisable to consumers.

Susanne Doring, of the Confederation of the Food and Drink Industries of the EU (CIAA), said the proposals were 'impractical and a burden for manufacturers'.

She added: 'What the commission is proposing is disproportionate - in more ways than one.'

Click for larger. One of the commentors said it perfectly:

No matter the font size, label readers will continue to read labels and non-label readers will continue to not read labels.

I want to see studies EU relies on to say larger font = less obesity.

GO TO SCHOOL TOMORROW!!!!! There, I just reduced truancy. Good for me!

What he said... Posted by DaveH at November 7, 2008 9:09 PM | TrackBack