Navigate safely through labels and claims
When products need to be labelled or claimed, there are requirements that must be met. But while labels are official schemes awarded by authorities or certification bodies, claims are statements that are most often used to market the product. Both are subject to regulation and both must be documented.
Labels and claims – two different types of requirements
Labels act as official guarantee schemes that show consumers that a product meets specific requirements, for instance nutritional requirements, requirements for origin or requirements for the environmental profile.
Examples of well-known labels in the Nordic region are the Keyhole label, the Ø label (Denmark) and the EU organic label ‘the green leaf’, KRAV (Sweden), the Swan label and Fairtrade.
Claims, on the other hand, are statements that highlight specific characteristics of the product, such as nutritional content or health benefits. They must be factually correct and can be documented with data and analyses.
Common claims include:
- reduced salt
- reduced sugar and fat
- high fibre content or protein source
- gluten-free and lactose-free
- clean label
- vitamin-rich and immune-supporting
Claims are regulated by EU Regulation 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims, and require that the product meets specified limits and formulations. All statements must be used correctly, and it is not permitted, for example, to formulate messages that imply disease prevention or treatment.
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- WHO's new requirements for salt reduction
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- Reduce the list, but retain the effect
- Salt reduction that works in practice
- Reduce sugar and fat without compromising on taste
When requirements need to be translated into a solution
Often, the desire for a specific label or claim arises in the commercial part of your business. It can take time to clarify whether this is the path you want to take – but when the ambition needs to be translated into practical options so that development, procurement and production can bring the task safely to completion, we are ready to assist.
We contribute with knowledge, raw material expertise and access to the documentation required to put together solutions that support the requirements and criteria you have chosen to comply with.
We work with labels and claims in two ways:
- When labelling is in progress or already in place
You have identified a potential or are working specifically with a label or claim. Here, we help you find the ingredients and solutions that match the requirements. We contribute with products, documentation and access to relevant analyses and certifications.
- When there is no labelling just now – but perhaps later
Here, we engage in dialogue about how solutions and raw materials can be adapted, so that they can support labelling requirements in the long term, if this becomes relevant. We follow the market closely and can contribute with insight into how solutions can be prepared with a view to possible future opportunities.
No matter where you are in the process, we are ready to help you move forward with solutions that match your choices.
Everything points back to the recipe
Labels and claims depend directly on how the product is composed. That is why the recipe is often the best place to start when the goal is stronger positioning or a specific label.
We work daily to adjust, optimise and advise on recipes, so that they meet both nutritional goals and documentation requirements. All without compromising on function, taste or price.
It is through dialogue that solutions become clear. Contact us and we will find the right solution together.
Read five tips for recipe optimisation
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