[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":97},["ShallowReactive",2],{"pages-686bc5db75cdc57605fb0c47":3},{"_id":4,"state":5,"name":6,"category":7,"theme":8,"components":9,"keywords":89},"686bc5db75cdc57605fb0c47","active","Mandatory food labelling on production methods","discover","european_food_system_dashboard",[10,22,29,38,45,51,58,65,71],{"type":11,"index":12,"variation":13,"imageURL":14,"title":15,"description":17,"button":19},"header",0,"image_left","https://planeateu.retool.com/api/file/8acbb2a1-7483-43c5-a3c4-5f587e5f3010",{"en_GB":16},"More stringent food labels detailing the employed production methods",{"en_GB":18},"- Food system activity: Retail & markets\n- Governance level: European\n- Cluster: Improve nutrition for better health\n- Origin: France\n- Type of policy intervention: Information-based",{"label":20,"URL":21},{"en_GB":21},"",{"type":23,"index":24,"variation":25,"imageURL":21,"title":26,"description":27},"title_and_text",1,"title_image_description",{"en_GB":21},{"en_GB":28},"*Note that this intervention is related to the intervention of [sustainability criteria in food labels](https://planeatcenter.com/discover/european_food_system_dashboard/686bcbeaebae028a11644491),  meaning the description, current implementation and challenges will have overlap.*",{"type":30,"index":31,"variation":32,"imageURL":33,"title":34,"description":36},"image_and_text",2,"image_right","https://planeateu.retool.com/api/file/1c0aace6-2325-4a53-96d6-5d50235b85c7",{"en_GB":35},"Intervention Details",{"en_GB":37},"This intervention concerns an information-based instrument, namely to develop stricter food labels that detail a food item’s production methods. Unlike existing EU rules, which require labeling of basic nutritional content and, for some products, origin and organic certification, this intervention would extend to aspects like pesticide use, antibiotic treatment, animal welfare conditions, labor practices, and environmental footprint (e.g., greenhouse gas emissions or water use). It was proposed in the French living lab, where it was described as an effort to even reverse the norm by making sustainable conventional and instead labelling the non-sustainable products.",{"type":30,"index":39,"variation":13,"imageURL":40,"title":41,"description":43},3,"https://planeateu.retool.com/api/file/c32b40e5-d2c2-44bb-a1ed-0e0d2ba39795",{"en_GB":42},"Examples of implementation",{"en_GB":44},"Studies suggest that production method labeling, when credible and clearly presented, can indeed significantly influence purchasing behavior, especially when coupled with public awareness campaigns or front-of-pack labeling systems (Potter et al., 2021). While there is no overarching standard in place for labelling of production methods on food products, there is the EU organic label, a mandatory symbol for pre packaged food products produced and sold as organic within the European Union. To display the logo, products must contain at least 95% organic ingredients, with any remaining ingredients meeting strict EU-defined conditions (European Union, 2018). Moreover, there are many initiatives in several EU member states that cover at least part of the production process. For instance, at least seven member states have labelling schemes around farm animal welfare (Di Concetto, 2024). ",{"type":23,"index":46,"variation":47,"imageURL":21,"title":48,"description":49},4,"title_description",{"en_GB":21},{"en_GB":50},"A variety of actors is involved in the development and implementation of labelling schemes, ranging from retailers to NGOs to governments. NGOs such as the Rainforest Alliance and Fair Trade have developed specific labelling. In other cases it comes from retailers themselves as a voluntary standard, for instance in Germany and France concerning farm animal welfare (Vogeler, 2019). Finally, while not in place yet, the European Commission’s 2020 Farm to Fork Action Plan proposed harmonized front-of-pack labeling that could incorporate sustainability and process-related indicators.",{"type":30,"index":52,"variation":32,"imageURL":53,"title":54,"description":56},5,"https://planeateu.retool.com/api/file/afec88ea-040b-4549-a51c-f75cc9a63be5",{"en_GB":55},"Key implementation challenges",{"en_GB":57},"There are some implementation challenges around this intervention, concerning feasibility and effectiveness. Firstly, as the impact of production methods on the environment has many aspects, it can be challenging to integrate these all into a single, understandable and consumer-friendly label. Label developers face hurdles in defining the scope (which environmental attributes to include), selecting appropriate functional units, and synthesizing multi criteria life cycle assessment (LCA) data into an accessible format (Cicek, Boone & Broekema, 2024). Cicek et al. (2024) note that the private sector can play a central role in the development of operational tools required for a harmonized LCA-based eco-label. This also requires a strong governance structure with stakeholders from both public and private sectors. Secondly, labelling by itself is an information-based intervention and these are often found to be insufficient in isolation (Ran et al., 2025). To really be effective, these types of interventions therefore need to be implemented in combination with other behavioral interventions. ",{"type":30,"index":59,"variation":13,"imageURL":60,"title":61,"description":63},6,"https://planeateu.retool.com/api/file/b466ae36-722e-4837-9540-cd11b3d71ab9",{"en_GB":62},"Expert Evaluation",{"en_GB":64},"Experts rated the effectiveness of this policy intervention at an average of 3.31/5.00 (SD = 1.11), indicating a moderately positive assessment (ranked 12th out of 20). Survey respondents disagreed on the intervention’s ability to shape consumers’ behavior. Those who viewed the intervention positively argued that it could incentivize consumers to buy healthy and sustainable food. Contrarily, experts also argued that the intervention would not influence consumer behavior given that large segments of the population would lack the necessary food literacy, mainly influence already conscious consumers, and other mitigating factors also affecting purchasing behavior. Additional concerns comprised the risk of labelling being greenwashing and lack of public trust on certification bodies. The average feasibility score was 3.60/5.00 (SD = 1.03), reflecting a positive assessment and ranking 12th overall. Experts highlighted EU regulatory competence and past practice, along with a short implementation timeline, as reasons for its feasibility. However, they also noted concerns regarding the technical challenges of measuring, modelling, or defining the information on the label. This intervention was identified to synergize with policies that push the supply of sustainable and healthy food like “subsidy for local crop diversification” and “transition fund for farmers”. ",{"type":23,"index":66,"variation":25,"imageURL":21,"title":67,"description":69},7,{"en_GB":68},"List of References",{"en_GB":70},"•\tCicek, Seval, Koen Boone, Roline Broekema, 2024. State of the art analysis of LCA-based ecolabelling schemes in Europe. Wageningen, Wageningen Economic Research, Report 2024-125, [https://edepot.wur.nl/680057](https://edepot.wur.nl/680057)\n\n•\tDi Concetto, A. (2024) Farm animal welfare and food information for European Union consumers: Harmonising the regulatory framework for more policy coherence. European Journal of Risk Regulation 15(1):122-136. doi:10.1017/err.2022.46 \n\n•\tEuropean Union. (2018). Regulation (EU) 2018/848 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2018 on organic production and labelling of organic products and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 834/2007. Official Journal of the European Union, L 150, 1–92.\nAvailable at: [https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32018R0848](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32018R0848)\n\n•\tPotter, C., Bastounis, A., Hartmann-Boyce, J., Stewart, C., Frie, K., Tudor, K., ... & Jebb, S. A. (2021). The effects of environmental sustainability labels on selection, purchase, and consumption of food and drink products: a systematic review. Environment and behavior, 53(8), 891-925. \n\n•\tRan, Y., Persson, U. M., Lindahl, T., Jonell, M., Brons, A., Macura, B., ... & Röös, E. (2025). Are interventions for environmentally sustainable dietary behaviours effective? A review. Environmental Research: Food Systems, 2(3), 032001.\n\n•\tVogeler, C.S. (2019) Market-based governance in farm animal welfare-A comparative analysis of public and private policies in Germany and France. Animals 22;9(5):267. doi: 10.3390/ani9050267",{"type":72,"index":73,"variation":74,"title":75,"contact1":77,"contact2":83,"contact3":86},"contacts",8,"title_top",{"en_GB":76},"CONTACT",{"imageURL":78,"name":79,"description":81},"https://planeateu.retool.com/api/file/771281e8-fca5-4ec7-a45c-0addca312f67",{"en_GB":80}," Jeroen Candel",{"en_GB":82},"Associate professor of food and agricultural policy​",{"imageURL":21,"name":84,"description":85},{"en_GB":21},{"en_GB":21},{"imageURL":21,"name":87,"description":88},{"en_GB":21},{"en_GB":21},[90,91,92,93,94,95,96],"processing","packaging","european","improve nutrition for better health","france","information-based","policy intervention",1776157872400]