The government could introduce a labelling system that
will show the health and environmental credentials of
food.
Information displayed on packaging could include - the number of
miles the food has travelled from the farm, what chemicals and
pollutants have been used during production and the level of animal
welfare involved. A traffic light symbol will also show how healthy
the food is, if the proposals are adopted.
The move is part of a range of measures being considered by the
government in response to the
Food Matters report by a cross-party group of MPs.
Junior DEFRA secretary Jim Fitzpatrick said the labelling had to
be simple enough for the consumer and should not create extra
packaging or "cost the producer an arm and a leg".
But retailers have already voiced concerns about the plans
claiming consumers may become overwhelmed by information on
packaging and warning that a simple labelling system showing
environmental credentials could be unworkable.
Richard Dodd, of the British
Retail Consortium told The Times newspaper: "Labelling
isn't a magic bullet for these sorts of objectives. There is
already a mass of information on products and a lot of competing
demands for more. There is a danger of actually confusing people
rather than helping them make choices."
NFU president Peter Kendall added: "We look forward to
contributing to the development of indicators for a sustainable
food system, but these indicators must focus on the sustainability
of imported food, not just that which is domestically produced.
"It would make no sense to insist our production was
sustainable, but increasingly rely on imports that are not."