TY - JOUR

T1 - Promoting educated consumer choices

T2 - has EU food information legislation finally matured?

AU - Edinger, Wieke Willemijn Huizing

PY - 2016

Y1 - 2016

N2 - Contemporary EU food information legislation combines and balances two main consumer interests, i.e., a consumer right to information and the freedom of choice, into one single protective standard: informed choice. Although the recent legislative measures quite openly establish a link between informed choice and the rather abstract societal norm of “what is good for the consumer,” this does not justify the conclusion that food information legislation has become overly meddlesome in relation to EU consumers and their choice of food. Rather, there has been a gradual maturing of the EU legislator’s perception of its task from the mere provision of food information to ensuring educated consumer choices. This development is a logical and necessary consequence of the growing complexity of food choices.

AB - Contemporary EU food information legislation combines and balances two main consumer interests, i.e., a consumer right to information and the freedom of choice, into one single protective standard: informed choice. Although the recent legislative measures quite openly establish a link between informed choice and the rather abstract societal norm of “what is good for the consumer,” this does not justify the conclusion that food information legislation has become overly meddlesome in relation to EU consumers and their choice of food. Rather, there has been a gradual maturing of the EU legislator’s perception of its task from the mere provision of food information to ensuring educated consumer choices. This development is a logical and necessary consequence of the growing complexity of food choices.

U2 - 10.1007/s10603-015-9307-3

DO - 10.1007/s10603-015-9307-3

M3 - Journal article

VL - 39

SP - 9

EP - 22

JO - Journal of Consumer Policy

JF - Journal of Consumer Policy

SN - 0168-7034

IS - 1

ER -