Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the report National Food Strategy Part One, published in July, what assessment they have made of the remarks by Henry Dimbleby that the packaging of Marks and Spencer Percy Pigs makes "wilfully misleading" health claims.

I have noted Henry Dimbleby’s comments about M&S’s use of the terms ‘with natural fruit juice’ and ‘no artificial colours or artificial flavourings’ on Percy Pigs. In terms of the application of the present EU law, it is the responsibility of local authority trading standards, who are responsible for enforcing food labelling, who consider the whole label when making a judgement as to whether or not it is misleading.

These statements do not constitute health claims as defined by current nutrition and health claims legislation. However, Mr Dimbleby’s comments used this product as an example of a wider issue where such claims may in some circumstances be viewed as confusing or misleading, in that they might present otherwise unhealthy food if not consumed according to recommended portion sizes with a degree of wholesomeness.

At the end of the Transition Period we will be able to determine how food on our shop shelves is labelled. We are committed to undertaking a wide ranging review of food labelling to ensure that consumers can continue to have confidence in the food they buy. We will ensure that in collaboration with DHSC the issues raised by Mr Dimbleby in his National Food Strategy are evaluated, along with the impact of potential policy options, as part of this labelling review.