Confidence & Precision in Claims

As consumers become increasingly aware about how their diet affects their health,  the significance of claims in guiding their food choices is clear. Claims are powerful ways to sell your products, but strict regulations exist to prevent any misleading information, which authorities deem illegal.

To prevent consumers from being misled, various rules have been drawn up and the use of claims has been constrained, such as by the European Regulation (EC) No. 1924/2006 and Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 on nutrition and health claims made on foods. These laws ensure that authorities can check claims to protect consumers from misleading information, whether intentional or not. Now, all claims must meet a number of demands including being backed by scientific evidence that is verified by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

What Defines a Claim?

According to the law, a claim is “any message or representation, which is not mandatory under legislation and which suggests that a food has particular characteristics.” This is a very broad definition which is open to interpretation, but it undeniably means that advertising must also comply with this law.

Two Main Kinds of Claims

The regulation distinguishes between health-related and nutrition-related claims.

Some claims, however, fall outside of these categories, such as “Contains sunflower oil.” Within this category, there are various types of claims including compositional statements, sensory claims, origin information, sustainability evidence, and many others, each requiring consideration of relevant regulations.

In essence, this complexity makes verifying claims difficult and challenging. Assessing a claim involves taking into account not only claims regulations but also other relevant legislations.

How can We Help You with Claim Compliance?

We offer comprehensive assistance in assessing the use of specific nutritional or functional claims for your product. If these claims do not meet regulatory standards, we provide a range of alternative options tailored to your needs. Additionally, our services extend beyond claims verification; we meticulously review all non-mandatory label information, including optional descriptions, images, packaging texts, and folder texts, to ensure compliance and accuracy. Furthermore, we aid in identifying product characteristics eligible for claims and conduct thorough searches for permitted nutritional or functional claims applicable to similar products, ensuring your label adheres to all relevant regulations and standards.