The first evaluations carried out by Inserm show that the test does not meet the stated objectives.
Is this too much dud on the way to nutrition labeling? Since the Ministry of Health announced last May that simplified labeling of the nutritional quality of food would be tested in supermarkets, problems have accumulated, until the resignation of four members of the steering committee, including Yves Lévy. , CEO of Inserm (National Institute for Health and Medical Research), July 7. In question, a deleterious climate, of “many biases” and “conflicts of interest”, such as Why actor explained it in an investigation.
It was this time when it came to setting up the test that problems arose. An Inserm research team noted in a report published Friday, October 21 “anomalies” in the conduct of the test: the proportion of labeled products would be much lower than the figures announced, which would severely limit the prospect of obtaining significant results. According to Dr Chantal Julia, member of the research team, “only a little more than half of the foods on the fresh and bread and pastries departments as well as a quarter of the prepared meals section were labeled”. The officially announced figures were “76% for the bread and pastries department, 76% for the fresh department and 63% for canned foods,” she recalls.
For its part, the specialized journal Linear, after having visited two stores, evokes “disappointing” results and “strong disparities” from one supermarket to another.
Food packaging more visible
To fight against junk food, food packaging must be more readable. The four competing color codes have been implemented in 60 establishments in four regions: Île-de-France, Haute-Normandie, Rhône-Alpes and Hauts-de-France.
1200 references were selected and the objective of this evaluation, carried out at the request of the Ministry of Health, is to determine which color code is the most effective to guide consumers’ purchases towards more balanced products.
Contested observations
Having heard of the publication of new criticisms, the French Fund for Food and Health (FFAS which participates in the coordination of the evaluation and which is financed by the industrialists of the sector), expressed its “indignation” about these “savage investigations conducted clandestinely in the stores where the experimentation takes place” and qualifies them as “partial and partial” investigations.
The FFAS adds that the first independent audits, carried out on October 20 in 35 stores, showed that “the conditions of the experiment are satisfactory in 26 stores and acceptable in 7 stores. Only 2 stores did not reach the required level and corrective actions were immediately taken ”.
It will then be decided, “depending on the non-conformities noted and in agreement with the Scientific Committee, whether or not these two stores should be maintained in the experiment”, specifies the Fund in a press release.
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