Our next draft report relates to labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs and ranges of nominal quantities. One matter of interest here is that we extended an invitation to the organisation representing coeliac sufferers—the Irish Coeliac Society—to meet us in subcommittee and we undertook to support their cause. We are recommending that, as the list of foodstuffs containing gluten is quite extensive and as it is imperative that coeliacs should know which products are gluten free and which are not, packages and labels should indicate whether a product is gluten free or not. One major problem that arises is that you can have a continental product marketed here under a brand name and containing gluten while, say, its English counterpart may be gluten free. The same product may be gluten free in one country and not in another.
Proposed Directives on Packaging: Labelling, Presentation and Advertising of Foodstuffs; and Ranges of Nominal Quantities.
Paragraph 7 of the report purports to cover sales only to the ultimate consumer. The question was raised as to whether these include sales to institutions such as catering establishments, schools, hospitals and prisons which are also a very vital part of the chain of consumption of products and packaging. There seems to be some doubt as to whether this directive proposes to cover this area. I feel that it should.
In relation to the labelling Directive, which also includes advertising, coming into force in Ireland, one of the things that the manufacturers were concerned about was that they should not be involved in duplicate expense in complying with it and in complying with proposed vertical Directives on advertising.
Will this also cover the size of a container or the quantity which a container holds?
This relates more to the outside cover and the package rather than to the actual measures. That is a different side altogether.
This Report also deals with sizes and quantities in section B.
May I be excused at this stage, please?
Very well. Thank you Deputy for your attendance.
Paragraphs 1 to 11, inclusive, agreed to.
Draft Report agreed to.
Ordered: To report accordingly.