News
31 July 2014

SNE welcomes new EU rules to protect gluten intolerant consumers

The European specialised nutrition industry, represented by SNE, welcomes the adoption of new EU rules that will ensure the highest level of protection for EU citizens who suffer from coeliac disease and gluten intolerance.

The new Commission Implementing Regulation will ensure that these vulnerable consumers will be able to safely benefit from a nutritious and balanced diet, with clear labels - such as "specifically formulated for coeliacs" - to indicate which products are specially developed to meet their particular nutritional needs.

Five million people in the EU are diagnosed with coeliac disease, and five million more are thought to have an undiagnosed intolerance to gluten.

President of SNE Roger Clarke comments: “We strongly support the new introduction of a ‘suitable for coeliacs’ label across Europe, to help these consumers distinguish those products which serve as healthy substitutes for foods that normally contain gluten. Coeliac sufferers can now continue to trust the foods which are essential to them in managing their intolerance.”

This Regulation represents one of the many follow-up activities required to complete the new Foods for Specific Groups Regulation (EU) 609/2013. SNE urges the European Commission to ensure the same high level of consumer protection and legal certainty for the remaining specialist food categories that need to be addressed as part of this follow-up process.


 

Notes to editors:

  • Specialised Nutrition Europe (SNE) is the trade association representing the interests of the specialised nutrition industry across the European Union. SNE members are the national associations of 16 Member States and their members are the companies producing foods for particular nutritional needs, known at EU level as 'foods for specific groups'.
  • SNE members provide tailor made dietary solutions for populations with very specific nutritional needs including infants and young children, individuals under medical supervision, sportsmen, overweight and obese consumers, and those suffering from coeliac disease.
  • The European Commission is now in the process of developing the additional delegated and implementing acts required to ensure legal clarity for the remaining categories of specialised nutrition. For more information about this process please contact the SNE Secretariat.