What are food labels for? Nestlé joins line up at Food Manufacture's Front-of-Pack 2011 conference

Related tags European union Food manufacture

Carbon footprint labels: Do shoppers care?

What are food labels for? If the answer to this question used to be fairly clear cut, it is anything but today, as food packaging has become a battleground where politicians, lobby groups, legislators, nutritionists, environmentalists and brand managers compete for space.

The EU Food Information Regulation – due for its second reading in the European Parliament in spring 2011 – has only added to the confusion, introducing controversial new rules on country-of origin labelling and nutrition labelling.

The Nutrition and Health Claims legislation has also significantly restricted what manufacturers can claim about their products on pack, while revisions of the Novel Food Regulation have raised challenging questions about where nanoparticles sit on food labels.

Meanwhile, new logos and schemes about animal welfare, sustainable palm oil, cocoa and soya are also competing for space, along with carbon foot printing initiatives.

Too much clutter?

But are food labels now so crowded that shoppers can’t see the wood from the trees, and what space is left for innovative brands to communicate their values amid all the noise?

Find out the answers to these questions and many more at Front of Pack 2011 - a new conference from Food Manufacture in London next March exploring what the food label is for in the 21st century and how manufacturers and retailers can use the limited space available on pack to engage with their customers.

Find out more

Front of Pack 2011 is a must-attend event for anyone involved in food labelling, from technical managers and regulatory experts to marketing managers, NPD teams and nutritionists.

Speakers: Speakers include experts from Nestlé, Eversheds, Which? DEFRA, The Food and Drink Federation, the Provision Trade Federation and the Food Standards Agency.

Bookings: Click here to see the full programme and book your place.

Date: March 10th, 2011
Venue: De Vere Venues West One, London