EFA participated in the last call for comments of the Codex Alimentarius Commission on the development of Guidelines for the Provision of Food Information for Pre-Packaged Foods Offered via E-commerce. Organised under the Codex Committee on Food Labelling (CCFL), this consultation is part of the ongoing effort to make food information clear and accessible for online shoppers – a growing need as e-commerce food purchases become more popular. Started in 2022, the guidelines are one just one step before final adoption, expected to take place later this year.
How to ensure safety for food allergy consumers in an e-commerce context?
In previous consultation rounds, EFA advocated for three key arguments to prioritise the safety of food allergy consumers shopping online:
Allergen information available before purchase: Essential information like allergens should appear clearly on the product’s e-page prior to the point of e-commerce sale so consumers can make informed choices
Labelling exemptions for small units should not apply online: In physical stores, small packages sometimes skip certain labels due to space limitations. However, online platforms don’t have these space constraints, so all necessary information should be visible for any product,
Clear and accessible information online: Online product information should be user-friendly, available in the in the language of the country where the food is marketed and to which it may be delivered, so consumers always understand what they’re purchasing.
Highlighting Product Durability for E-commerce
In this latest consultation, EFA also supported the inclusion of an indication of product durability. This addition would mean online listings show not only the best-before or use-by date but also the time remaining from the delivery date to that point, helping consumers understand better how fresh is the product.
Complete Allergen Information, Including Precautionary Allergen Labelling (PAL)
EFA emphasised that consumers need to be aware of both mandatory allergen information and also in case of unintended allergen presence such as Precautionary Allergen Labelling (PAL), which currently is voluntary information under EU law. All allergen-related information should be provided directly under the ingredient information or in a special "allergy section" of information for food sold via e-commerce.
EFA extends its thanks to the Food Allergy Working Group members for their expertise and collaboration on this response.
You can find the EFA submission to the latest Codex consultation on e-commerce here, the responses to the previous consultations on this issue here, here, and here.