A provisional political agreement has been reached by negotiators from the European Parliament and the Council on updated rules regarding the composition, naming, and labeling of honey, fruit juices, and jams.
The revised guidelines, aimed at promoting healthier diets and enhancing consumer awareness, bring changes to labeling practices for honey, fruit juices, and jams.
Notably, to address concerns about honey adulteration with sugar from non-EU countries, the agreement mandates clear disclosure of the country of origin on labels, going beyond the current EU/non-EU classification for honey blends.
For fruit juices and jams, a report will evaluate mandatory origin labeling for fruits, and a general rule of using at least 450 grams of fruit per kilogram of jam is established.
Regarding the label “contains only natural sugars” it is allowed for fruit juices, and reformulated juices can be labeled “fruit juice with reduced sugar” if at least 30% of natural sugars are removed, meeting the rising demand for low-sugar products.
