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foodwatch

foodwatch is an independent consumer rights organisation focusing on the food sector.

Lobbying Activity

foodwatch urges mandatory EU ban on unhealthy food advertising

18 Dec 2025
Topic — Evaluation of EU rules governing audiovisual media services and commercial advertising standards.
Message — foodwatch demands legally binding rules to protect minors under 18 from unhealthy food marketing. They propose banning these advertisements on television between 6 am and 11 pm.12
Why — Mandatory regulations would replace failed voluntary industry pledges with enforceable legal standards.3
Impact — Major food brands would lose the ability to target children through popular family-viewing programmes.4
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foodwatch warns EU food safety plan favors industry interests

13 Oct 2025
Topic — The Commission is consulting on simplifying regulations for food and feed safety.
Message — foodwatch demands that the Commission prioritize public interest over industry goals and ensure meaningful scrutiny of regulatory changes. They urge a focus on increasing consumer protection rather than loosening safety rules.123
Why — Stronger safety rules would help the organization protect citizens from food safety scandals.45
Impact — Large food corporations would lose easier market access and simplified regulatory procedures.6
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Meeting with Antonella Rossetti (Cabinet of Commissioner Christophe Hansen) and Friends of the Earth Europe and

29 Sept 2025 · presentation of and discussion about their roadmap to reduce pesticide use in Europe

foodwatch urges EU to regulate food industry for heart health

16 Sept 2025
Topic — The European Commission is seeking feedback on an EU cardiovascular health plan.
Message — The group wants mandatory nutritional labels and marketing restrictions for children. They also propose a pesticide tax and limiting energy drink sales. This ensures the healthiest choice becomes the cheapest and easiest.12345
Why — Adopting these measures would fulfill the organization's mission to prioritize public health over profits.6
Impact — Food manufacturers of unhealthy products would lose marketing reach and price advantages over healthy foods.7
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Meeting with Manuela Ripa (Member of the European Parliament)

9 Sept 2025 · Public Health and Prevention

foodwatch urges mandatory Nutri-Score and junk food advertising bans

29 Jul 2025
Topic — The EU is setting consumer policy priorities and actions for 2025-2030.
Message — The organization calls for a total ban on junk food marketing targeting children. They also demand a mandatory, EU-wide Nutri-Score and clearer labeling of food additives.123
Why — These measures would empower consumers with transparent information to choose healthier products.4
Impact — Large food corporations would lose the ability to use misleading health claims.5
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Meeting with David Cormand (Member of the European Parliament)

6 May 2025 · Food Policy

Meeting with Biljana Borzan (Member of the European Parliament)

10 Apr 2025 · Energy drinks

Meeting with Sabine Pelsser (Head of Unit Health and Food Safety) and BLOOM Association

28 Jan 2025 · Regulation 2023/915 and mercury contamination of tuna

Meeting with Klaus Berend (Director Health and Food Safety) and

28 Jan 2025 · Meeting for the handover of a petition from Foodwatch to prevent mineral oil contamination of food and an exchange of views on the state of play of setting maximum limits for them in food.

Meeting with Martin Häusling (Member of the European Parliament)

2 Dec 2024 · Veranstaltung: Methan & Milch in der Klimadebatte

Meeting with Martin Häusling (Member of the European Parliament) and Deutscher Bauernverband and Pestizid Aktions-Netzwerk e.V.

19 Feb 2024 · Virtuelle Euractiv-Konferenz "Pestizidverordnung - Was ist der deutsche Ansatz?"

foodwatch urges EU to maintain strict nano food labelling

11 Jan 2024
Topic — The consultation updates the definition of engineered nanomaterials used in European food products.
Message — The organization opposes increasing the nanoparticle threshold from 10% to 50% for food labelling. This change would hide numerous ingredients containing significant nanoparticle fractions from consumers. They demand better enforcement of existing rules rather than a watering down of standards.123
Why — This helps them preserve consumer rights to information and high health safety standards.4
Impact — Consumers lose the ability to identify nanoparticles in products like breakfast cereals.5
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Meeting with Günther Sidl (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

5 Sept 2023 · Breakfast Directive

Meeting with Martin Häusling (Member of the European Parliament)

25 Apr 2023 · Allgemeiner Austausch

Meeting with Claude Gruffat (Member of the European Parliament)

28 Mar 2023 · Echange dossiers agricoles actuels

Meeting with Benoît Biteau (Member of the European Parliament)

28 Mar 2023 · Spéculation alimentaire

Meeting with Pascal Canfin (Member of the European Parliament)

28 Mar 2023 · Green Deal

Meeting with Saskia Bricmont (Member of the European Parliament)

31 Jan 2023 · CETA (meeting with APA)

Meeting with Sarah Wiener (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur)

30 Nov 2022 · harmonised risk indicators, implementation of pesticide reduction targets

Meeting with Martin Häusling (Member of the European Parliament) and Testbiotech

17 Nov 2022 · Konferenz zu GMO-Free Europe

Meeting with Biljana Borzan (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and Etsy Ireland

15 Sept 2022 · Empowering consumers for the green transition

Foodwatch demands total EU pesticide exit by 2035

12 Sept 2022
Topic — Revision of EU rules to reduce risks and environmental impacts of pesticides.
Message — Foodwatch demands 80% pesticide-free arable land by 2030 and 100% by 2035. The risk indicator must switch from amount sold to doses sold or hectares treated. Chemical controls must be a last resort enforced by legally established measures.1234
Why — This would ensure higher food safety standards and lower chemical exposure for consumers.5
Impact — Pesticide manufacturers and intensive farms face higher costs and restricted chemical use.6
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Meeting with Sarah Wiener (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and Friends of the Earth Europe and

27 Jul 2022 · staff only: Discussion on the Harmonised Risk Indicator 1 (SUR proposal)

Meeting with Sarah Wiener (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and Pesticide Action Network Europe and

25 Jul 2022 · staff only: Discussion on the Harmonised Risk Indicator 1 (SUR proposal)

Meeting with Sarah Wiener (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and European Environmental Bureau and

13 Jul 2022 · staff only: Discussion on the Harmonised Risk Indicator 1 (SUR proposal)

Meeting with Sarah Wiener (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and Stichting BirdLife Europe and

12 Jul 2022 · staff only: Sustainable Use Regulation, exchange of views on the Commission proposal

Response to Empowering the consumer for the green transition

27 May 2022

foodwatch Deutschland begrüßt, dass die Europäische Kommission irreführende Umweltwerbung einschränken möchte. Solche Umweltaussagen und Siegel sind mittlerweile im Supermarkt weit verbreitet. Für Verbraucher:innen ist nicht erkennbar, auf welche Aussagen Verlass ist. Der von der Kommission vorgelegte Entwurf dämmt dies zwar teilweise ein, lässt jedoch große Schlupflöcher für weitere Irreführungen. Zusammenfassung: Der Entwurf der Kommission legt Bedingungen für die Verwendung von Umweltaussagen und Siegeln fest. Es gibt jedoch Aussagen, die grundsätzlich verboten werden müssen, weil sie Verbraucher:innen täuschen. Auf eine solche “Blacklist” gehören nach Ansicht von foodwatch Deutschland Claims wie “klimaneutral” und “CO2-positiv”. Auch die Claims “biologisch abbaubar” und “kompostierbar” in Bezug auf (Bio)-Plastik sind irreführend. Ein Gesetz zum Schutz der Verbraucher:innen muss diese Aussagen grundsätzlich verbieten. Weitere Erläuterungen stehen im Anhang.
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Meeting with Günther Sidl (Member of the European Parliament)

28 Sept 2021 · General Exchange of Views

Meeting with Sarah Wiener (Member of the European Parliament)

20 Jul 2021 · Front of Pack Labelling, Health Nutrition

Meeting with Michèle Rivasi (Member of the European Parliament)

12 Jul 2021 · Oxyde éthylène

foodwatch urges new rules to ban hazardous food packaging chemicals

28 Jan 2021
Topic — The European Commission is revising safety standards for chemicals in food contact materials.
Message — foodwatch supports a new regulatory framework that applies the precautionary principle to ban toxic substances. They demand stricter public oversight instead of allowing industry bodies to self-regulate safety standards.123
Why — These measures would improve food safety and restore consumer confidence in packaging materials.4
Impact — Industry groups would lose the power to self-regulate and define safety standards.56
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Meeting with Vytenis Andriukaitis (Commissioner) and

17 Nov 2016 · Roundtable on the future of the General Food Law Regulation

Meeting with Vytenis Andriukaitis (Commissioner) and

19 Oct 2016 · Nutrient profiles, mineral oil hydrocarbons in food

Meeting with Vytenis Andriukaitis (Commissioner) and

26 Jan 2016 · Healthy food, reducing sugar, nutrient profiles

Meeting with Nathalie Chaze (Cabinet of Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis), Paula Duarte Gaspar (Cabinet of Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis)

3 Dec 2015 · Food policy in the consumer’s interest; prevention of childhood obesity; nutrition profiles