CONSUMER RIGHT TO FOOD INFORMATION

Borko Mihajlović; Andrej Micovic

doi:10.59267/ekoPolj24041325M

Authors

Borko Mihajlović Faculty of Law, University of Kragujevac, Jovana Cvijića 1, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5770-8451
Andrej Micovic aculty of Hotel Management and Tourism in Vrnjačka Banja, University of Kragujevac, Vojvođanska 5a, 36210 Vrnjačka Banja, Serbia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5988-4387

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.59267/ekoPolj24041325M

Keywords:

consumer law, food information, mandatory particulars, food business operators, voluntary food information, front-of-pack labeling

Abstract

The main purpose of this article is the analysis of the structure and content of food information law in the European Union law, as well as the general assessment of the harmonization of Serbian law with EU law in the field of food information law. In order to achieve these purposes, the authors employed doctrinal comparative research, which encompassed both structural analysis of the laws at issue, and the analysis of specific pre-defined questions. The questions included the subjects responsible for the provision of food information duties, the content of these duties, as well as the methods and ways of formulating and presenting information to consumers. The authors also dealt with the current role for voluntary food information in EU law. In the concluding section of the paper, authors emphasized the importance of introducing the mandatory and uniform front-of-package labeling scheme.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Alemanno, A., & Garde, A. (2013). The emergence of an EU lifestyle policy: The case of alcohol, tobacco and unhealthy diets. Common Market Law Review, 50(6), 1745–1786. https://doi.org/10.54648/cola2013165

Aouati, O. et al. (2024).Current challenges and opportunities for addressing obesity. European Parliament - Policy Department for Economic, Scientific and Quality of Life Policies Directorate-General for Internal Policies, Brussels. Retrieved from https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2024/754218/IPOL_STU(2024)754218_EN.pdf

Bawden, D. & Robinson, L. (2020). Information Overload: An Overview. In: Oxford Encyclopedia of Political Decision Making. . Oxford: Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/acrefore/9780190228637.013.1360

Ben-Shahar, O., & Bar-Gill, O. (2013). Regulatory techniques in consumer protection: A critique of European consumer contract law. Common Market Law Review, 50(Special Issue), 109–125. https://doi.org/10.54648/cola2013039

Delhomme, V. (2024). Rethinking Consumer Empowerment: New directions for Sustainable Food Law in an Era of EU discontent. European Journal of Risk Regulation, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1017/err.2024.42

De Streel, A. & Sibony, A.L. (2017). Towards Smarter Consumer Protection Rules for the Digital Society. Retrieved from https://ssrn.com/abstract=3063192 http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3063192

Dudeja, P., & Singh, A. (2016). Food safety in modern society—changing trends of food production and consumption, Food Safety in India, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 83–88. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-801773-9.00007-8.

European Commission (2020). Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social committee and the Committee of the regions - A Farm to Fork Strategy for a fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly food system. Retrieved from https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52020DC0381

European Commission (2020a), Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council regarding the use of additional forms of expression and presentation of the nutrition declaration, Retrieved from https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52020DC0207.

Gokani, N. (2024). Healthier food choices: From consumer information to consumer empowerment in EU Law. Journal of Consumer Policy, 47(2), 271–296. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10603-024-09563-0.

Gokani, N. & Garde, A. (2023). Front-of-pack nutrition labelling: time for the EU to adopt a harmonised scheme. European Journal of Public Health, 33(5), 751- 752. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckad087

Gokani, N. & Garde, A. (2022). Front-of-pack Nutrition Labelling: A Tussle between Eu Food Law and National Measures. European Law Review, 47(2), 153-174.

Grunert, K. G., Scholderer, J., & Rogeaux, M. (2011). Determinants of consumer understanding of health claims. Appetite, 56(2), 269 - 277. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2011.01.009

Hadfield, G. K., Howse, R., & Trebilcock, M. J. (1998). Information-Based Principles for rethinking Consumer Protection Policy. Journal of Consumer Policy, 21(2), 131–169. https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1006863016924

Helleringer, G. & Sibony, A.L. (2017). European Consumer Protection Through the Behavioral Lense, Columbia Journal of European Law, 23. Retrieved from https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3176817#

Hersey, J. et al. (2013). Effects of front-of-package and shelf nutrition labelling systems on consumers. Nutrition Reviews, 71(1), 1-14.

Howells, G., Twigg-Flesner, C., & Wilhelmsson, T. (2018). Rethinking EU consumer law, Routledge, London, New York. DOI 10.4324/9781315164830

Howells, G. (2005). The potential and limits of consumer empowerment by information. Journal of Law and Society, 32(3), 349–370. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6478.2005.00328.x

Laaninen, T. (2017). The EU’s General Food Law Regulation – An Introduction to the Founding Principles and Fitness Check. European Parliamentary Research Service, Brussels. Retrieved from https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/IDAN/2017/595906/EPRS_IDA(2017)595906_EN.pdf

Lučić, S. (2023). Protection of Personal Data in the Tourism Sector.Hotel and Tourism Management, 11(1), 193–206. https://doi.org/10.5937/menhottur2301193L

Лучић., С. (2021). Nutri Score: проширено означавање нутритивнe вредности хране, Усклађивање правног система Србије са стандардима Европске уније, књига 9. Правни факултет Универзитета у Крагујевцу, Крагујевац, 581-594. [Lučić, S. (2021). Nutri Score: extended labeling of the nutritional value of food, Harmonization of the hela system of Serbia with the European Union Standards, Book 9, Faculty of Law, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, 581-594] DOI:10.46793/UPSSIX.581L

Lydgate, E., & Anthony, C. (2022). Brexit, food law and the UK’s search for a post‐EU identity. Modern Law Review, 85(5), 1168–1190. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-2230.12735

MacMaoláin, C. (2015). Food Law : European, domestic and international frameworks. Hart, Oxford. https://doi.org/10.5040/9781782257646

Mићовић, М. & Мићовић, А. (2022). Потрошачко право, друго измењено и допуњено издање. Правни факултет Универзитета у Крагујевцу, Крагујевац. [in English: Mićović, M. & Mićović, A. (2022). Consumer law, 2nd edition. Faculty of Law, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac]

Михајловић, Б. (2023). Промена потрошачког права у дигитално доба. Правни факултет Универзитета у Крагујевцу, Крагујевац. [in English: Mihajlović, B. (2023). Change of consumer law in the digital age. Faculty of Law, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac]

Pettoello-Mantovani, C., & Olivieri, B. (2022). Food safety and public health within the frame of the EU legislation. Global Pediatrics, 2, 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gpeds.2022.100020

Purnhagen, K. & Schebesta, H. (2019). Food Labelling for Consumers – EU Law, Regulation and Policy Options. European Parliament - Policy Department for Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs Directorate General for Internal Policies of the Union, Brussels. Retrieved from https://sante.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/food_labelling_for_consumer_eu.pdf.

Schaub, M. (2017). How to make the best of mandatory information requirements in consumer law. European Review of Private Law/Revue Européenne De Droit Privé/Europäische Zeitschrift Für Privatrecht, 25(1), 25–44. https://doi.org/10.54648/erpl2017003

Schebesta, H. & Purnhagen, K., (2024). EU Food Law. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Twigg-Flesner, C., Schulze, R., & Watson, J. (2018). Protecting rational choice: information and the right of withdrawal, Handbook of Research on International Consumer Law, second edition, Elgar, Cheltenham. https://doi.

org/10.4337/9781785368219.00011

Van Der Meulen, B. (2013). The structure of European Food Law. Laws, 2(2), 69–98. https://doi.org/10.3390/laws2020069

Vaqué, L. G. (2015). Directive 2005/29/EC on Unfair Commercial Practices and its Application to Food-Related Consumer Protection. European Pharmaceutical Law Review, 10(3), 210–221. https://effl.lexxion.eu/data/article/7343/pdf/effl_2015_03-007.pdf

Vujisić, D. & Mihajlović, B. (2014). Labeling of genetically modified food and consumers’ rights. Zbornik radova Pravnog fakulteta u Novom Sadu [in English: Proceedings of Novi Sad Faculty of Law], 48(4), 185-199. DOI:10.5937/zrpfns48-7583

Вујисић, Д. (2011). Заштита потрошача у праву Европске уније и праву Србије. Право и привреда, 49 (7-9), 198-215. [in English: Vujisić, D. (2011). Consumer protection in European Union consumer law and Serbian law. Law and Economy, 49(7-9), 198-215.]