During the COVID-19 pandemic, food manufacturers are permitted to adjust product compositions without notifying consumers—a temporary measure to support the industry.
Until June 1, agri-food companies can sell products with compositions differing from labels and produced at alternative sites. This European Commission-backed exception aids a sector hit hard by the crisis.
Supply chain disruptions for raw materials necessitate minor, temporary recipe changes. Packaging supplier issues delay label updates, while manufacturers ramp up production to meet demand.
While understandable in crisis, this raises concerns. Foodwatch stated on April 24: "Faced with supply difficulties, the food industry can temporarily modify its recipes without specifying it on the label. So how do we know what we are really eating?"
The DGCCRF confirms a forthcoming list of affected products on their site. Changes, validated by the agency, are minor and do not compromise consumer safety, including for allergies. "No tolerance for risks or withholding essential information."
Foodwatch calls for brands and retailers to disclose changes on websites and social media for transparency. Recently, they highlighted misleading 'large format' pricing hikes.
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