TRAFFIC-LIGHT FOOD-LABELLING

That this House expresses concern at the recent European Parliament decision to reject a mandatory front-of-package traffic-light food-labelling system in favour of a per cent. guideline daily amounts system, against consumer wishes; recognises that independent research identifies the traffic-light system as the simplest and most informative way for consumers to assess the nutritional value of their foods and that it has been endorsed by the British Medical Association, the consumer magazine Which? and the British Heart Foundation; notes that as such the traffic-light system provides a critical tool to encourage healthier eating habits as concerns grow about obesity-related illness and deaths in the UK; stresses that elected officials should represent the best interests of the people above all else, protecting them from the lobbying tactics of profit-driven organisations; and calls on the European Parliament to revisit this decision regarding food-labelling regulations.