Finnish Food Authority relaxes product labelling rules due to wartime shortages | News

Extra adaptable guidelines would allow food manufacturers to make sudden adjustments to substances when needed.

Graphic: Henrietta Hassinen / Yle

The Finnish Foodstuff Authority has made a decision to quickly unwind item labelling rules in light-weight of modern food shortages caused by the ongoing Ukraine war.

The crisis could necessitate overall flexibility in labelling needs as brands could possibly have to have to make unexpected variations or switches in substances, the authority mentioned in a statement on Thursday. In these kinds of situations, the contents of the package could not totally correspond to the facts furnished on the label.

Enjoyable the guidelines would permit brands to proceed using existing packaging materials.

The company stressed that businesses will have to make sure that they even now safeguard foods safety rules and the consumer’s right to information.

For occasion, if the labelled component is replaced with an option that could outcome in adverse overall health effects (this sort of as allergies or intolerance), the new component must be outlined on the label.

Companies would also have to advise consumers if the substituted ingredient noticeably alters the nutritional value of the merchandise (if sunflower oil is replaced with peanut oil, for illustration).

The new tips do not utilize to things that have to have merchandise-unique regulations these as food stuff health supplements and baby foodstuff.