On the addition of sugar in food and the need for EU provisions such as Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 

The petitioner draws attention to the WHO health recommendations seeking to limit daily sugar intake by adults, children and infants, pointing out that excessive sugar consumption is harmful to health. While Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information requires the labelling of particularly harmful additives in foods, giving reference quantities for sugar, it does not include ceiling limits in line with the WHO recommendations on sugar quantities harmful to health. The petitioner asks for the regulation to be amended accordingly. He also observes that manufacturers should add on the labels of their products a warning of the dangers to health from excessive sugar consumption, similar to health warnings on cigarette packets, a reference to the WHO recommendations as well as the term ‘free sugar’ in line with these recommendations. Advertising of foods containing sugar directed at children should be prohibited, as should the addition of free sugars in foods for young children and infants below two years of age. He also calls for the introduction of a ‘sugar tax’, notably an increased tax on foodstuffs and beverages containing free sugar.