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Implementation report on Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods

TA-9-2024-0040 · P9_TA(2024)0040 · PE753.549

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✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 26 Sept 2026

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Parliament's resolution reviews how Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods works in practice and asks for changes. It regrets that the Commission has not set nutrient profiles to restrict claims on foods high in fat, sugar and/or salt, and insists they are still needed. It calls for a mandatory harmonised EU front-of-pack nutritional label and for action on the 'on-hold' list of claims on botanicals. It asks for updated guidance, a knowledge network and online enforcement guidelines to tackle misleading claims, especially those aimed at children.

Key points

  1. Notes that the Regulation aims to ensure claims are based on generally accepted scientific evidence and understood by the average consumer, but misleading claims are still reported online and offline.
  2. Calls for the list of authorised nutrition and health claims to be updated regularly in line with scientific developments, and stresses that label information must be accurate, science-based and meaningful.
  3. Recalls that under Article 4 of the Regulation the Commission should have set nutrient profiles by 19 January 2009, regrets the proposal has not been submitted, and insists on setting profiles with specific nutrient thresholds.
  4. Highlights that without nutrient profiles, claims can stress a positive aspect of an unhealthy product, including products marketed towards children, and says profiles based on robust independent evidence are necessary.
  5. Regrets the lack of a systematic approach to food environments and calls on the Commission and member states to invest more in food and nutrition education, including through EU4Health and school actions.
  6. Advocates minimum and maximum usage thresholds on labels of foods and food supplements bearing health claims, a recommendation to consult a healthcare professional, and funding for research into consumer understanding of claims.
  7. Regrets the delay of the revision of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on front-of-pack nutrition labels and asks for a mandatory harmonised EU front-of-pack nutritional label as soon as possible, including information on food processing.
  8. Calls on the Commission to examine extending EFSA's remit to assess the relevance of claims, to evaluate restricting the 'no added sugar' claim for products with sweeteners or high free sugars, and supports prior consultations between manufacturers and EFSA.
  9. Highlights that claims on infant formula should avoid influencing infant feeding choices, and disapproves of the continued suspension of evaluation of claims on botanicals, warning that 'on-hold' claims could mislead consumers.
  10. Calls on the Commission to reject negatively assessed 'on-hold' claims, and on the Commission and member states to establish an EU-level negative list of botanicals used in food based on toxicity or adverse health effects.
  11. Calls on the Commission to provide updated guidance on marketing practices that circumvent the Regulation, and for a knowledge network to exchange best practices and address enforcement disparities among member states.
  12. Calls for guidelines on enforcing the Regulation online, a platform to share best practices, and legislative action to protect children and adolescents from advertising of processed foods high in fat, sugar and salt.

Who is affected

  • Consumers, who should get accurate, science-based information and be protected from misleading claims.
  • Food and food supplement manufacturers, who would face nutrient profiles, label thresholds and possible restrictions on claims.
  • Member states, responsible for enforcement and asked to collaborate on botanicals and online claims.
  • Children and adolescents, identified as vulnerable to marketing of processed foods high in fat, sugar and salt.
  • Online platform providers, with responsibilities under the Digital Services Act for illegal content and advertising transparency.

Figures and deadlines

  • 269 health claims were authorised for use in the EU in July 2023.
  • At least 18 % of new products entering the EU food and drink market carry nutrition or health claims.
  • An estimated quarter of all foods available on the EU market bear such claims.
  • Under Article 13(3) of the Regulation, the Commission was to adopt a Community list of permitted claims by 31 January 2010.
  • The Commission was mandated to set nutrient profiles by 19 January 2009.
  • More than half of European adults and one in three children are overweight or obese.
  • According to the WHO, unhealthy diets cause 8 million premature deaths every year, and 1 in 5 deaths in 2017 was attributable to unhealthy diets.
  • In 2012, the Commission established an 'on-hold' list of 2 078 health claims relating to plant substances.

Legal basis: Articles 168 and 169 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.