Quote:
Originally Posted by PR_Tom
Problem with this stuff is there was no requirement to label a product as containing it. Therefore the consumer had/has no way to make that informed choice. Shady as fuck is a saying that could apply.
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The problem isn't the lack of requirements to put certain information on the label. Some of the problem's are actually caused
by the labeling requirements.
Let's say there are no requirements to label your product. If as a producer you want to convince potential customers to buy your product, a correct label makes perfect sense as a way to set your product apart from all others. Especially when people are worried about what they eat.
If as a consumer, you don't know what you are buying then simply don't buy it. We all have a personal responsibility to ourselves. If some people prefer "cheap and fast" over "more expensive and well informed", then that is their choice.
Personally, I don't buy meat at a supermarket, but a a couple of local butcher shops. People I know, people i have done business with for a very long time, people others have recommended to me etc.
If there are no labeling requirements and a producer does label his products but puts false information on his labels then that producer is committing an act of fraud and he can be sued for that.
The problem with the labeling requirements for food these days is that
they allow producers to put incorrect information on the labels. Most big producers of food also have their lobbyists at work and laws an regulations aren't always what they pretend to be. Most food labeling regulations allow for a 0.5% margin of error. This means that some manufacturers can now legally put "0% of chemical XYZ" or "Chemical ABC free" on their labels even when they know the product contains 0.4% or 0.3% or 0.4999% of those chemicals.