The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) has called for the creation of a European compulsory colour-coded labelling system with the aim of promoting good eating habits from childhood.

The proposal is part of a wide range of recommendations contained in the Opinion entitled "Local and regional incentives to promote healthy and sustainable diets", which also suggests the introduction of changes in land use planning and infrastructures, as well as in the use of instruments such as taxes, subsidies and regulations.

The speaker defending this Opinion, Nikolaos Chiotakis (EL/PPE), councillor of Kifisiá, stated that "the key behavioural patterns relevant to health that develop during childhood and youth are kept for life. Sweets, junk food and sugary drinks have pushed away traditional diets based on fruits and vegetables, fish and olive oil. Our children consume too much salt, sugar and fat in the products they eat."

If accepted by the decision makers of the European Council and the European Parliament, the CoR recommendation will lead to food producers having to use colours in the packaging of food products across the EU in order to provide clear information to the consumer regarding the sugar, salt and fat contents in food. The information on nutritional properties will also be available on-line. A mandatory approach would radically change the current situation, since, in many cases, it is the food manufacturers themselves who decide which of their products are healthy enough to be advertised as adequate food for children. These adverts should have to be based on the compliance of pan-European specifications.

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