Why is the new food labeling law so controversial?

Controversy over the new food labeling law is a reflection of conflict among different interest groups in society. Medical professionals, parents and those who care for public health are in favour of the new law. They believe that the mandatory standardized food labeling system as stipulated by the law will safeguard consumers’ rights to know the actual nutritional values of packaged food. Being better informed, they can make a wise choice of what to eat in order to stay healthy.

Opponents of the law including representatives from business sectors worry that the new food labeling law will inevitably burden their businesses with higher cost and therefore, damp down their incentives of importing food items sold at low volume. This will consequently reduce the diversity of food choices available in the market. That’s why some consumers may think that the new law will deprive them of the rights to choose the food they desire. The impact of this law will most likely be felt by expatriates who demand for indigenous food produced by their home countries, which is usually sold at low volume.

The conflict among interest groups in society on this issue stems from their differences in the understanding of quality of life. Proponents of the law consider that the availability of accurate health information is of utmost important. Based on the authentic nutritional information printed on the food labels, people can make the right choice of food and thereby lower their chance of getting diabetes and cardiovascular diseases which are always ranked high among other fatal diseases in Hong Kong.

To the people from the food industry, economic benefits, job security and livelihood of those working in this industry should deserve a higher priority. To some expatriates, the enactment of the law will harm their quality of life by depriving them of the choices for food. Apart from affecting the life of those well-offs, additional cost came after the fulflment of the new food labeling law will add burden to the poor whose quality of life has already been hampered by soaring food prices in recent years.

How does the government strike a balance between public good and vested interests when deciding the contents of the law? In fact, the government tried to pacify the business sectors by making amendment to the law to allow exemption granted to food items sold at low volume (sales volume less than 30000). However, the amendment, winning no support from the majority of legislators, was vetoed by the LEGCO eventually. The new food labeling law will be enacted in the May of 2015. After that all packaged food must carry food labels listing the information on trans-fats and seven essential nutrients.

[To be continued]