FSA meets consumer groups to discuss artificial colours research

Friday 14 September 2007

The Agency invited consumer and public interest organisations yesterday to a discussion of next steps following the publication last week of the study looking at certain artificial colours and their effect on children's behaviour.

The following groups attended:

• British Medical Association
• Childhood Obesity Programme
• Hyperactive Children’s Support Group
• Nutrition Society
• Prince’s Foundation for Integrated Health
• Soil Association
• Sustain
• The Food Commission
• University of Sussex

The organisations attending said it was unreasonable to place the burden of avoiding these artificial colours on consumers.

The group view was that these colours should be banned and that Agency advice should have been extended to all children. They also said that the labelling of these additives is not always clear and that more should be done to alert consumers to the Agency's revised advice.

The group also also expressed concern about the considerable proportion of foods that are sold loose and are therefore not labelled, and the foods consumed by children outside the home and therefore outside of parental control.

The group cautiously welcomed the Agency’s initiative in setting up a page on its website that will provide information about what industry is doing, together with details of company websites and customer careline numbers.

They saw this as a starting point for more widespread communication on this issue using a number of communication tools including leaflets and magazine advertising, targeting those who may not have access to the Internet. The meeting also gave some initial ideas for the Agency to consider. These included;

• the establishment of a technical industry workshop
• extra product labelling including front of pack
• naming of companies not providing details of specific artificial colours used in products
• communication of Agency advice to smaller companies
• urging the Agency to continue to work closely with the European Food Safety Authority on this issue

The Agency undertook to feed these initial ideas into next week's open Board meeting, taking place in London on 20 September.

The group responded positively to the Agency suggestion that they and industry meet under the aegis of the FSA to discuss what further practical steps could be taken by the food industry.