Posted by
sxc
18 yrs ago
I don't really understand the campaign that the supermarkets are waging. Almost all the example products displayed already have nutritional labelling, and from what I know of the new labelling law, the nutritional labelling is more comprehensive than what HK is going to demand. So I'm not really sure what the problem is.
Also, I don't think what ppatio has observed is dumping since the new law won't come into effect until 2010.
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"So I'm not really sure what the problem is."
As I understand it, labeling isn't enough. Manufacturers/sellers of products claiming to be, say, "organic" or "low-fat" have to "prove" this by having the products tested in HK. Since HK isn't such a big market for "Western" products, it's not worth the expense.
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There's a nice post at Hemlock this week on the petition by retailers to stop the labelling requirements...at first I was tempted to sign as some of the things I like will go (eg organic veggie substitute stuff that's hard to find, full of E numbers, but tasty) but most of it is the rubbish you get which tries to market itself as health food. As Expatguy says its the "claims" that are the issue so the claim to be "Low fat" and therefore "healthy" when really its full of sugar and stuff has to have additional labelling to show the dietary breakdown. As Hemlock says any petition organised by the retailers and the Liberal party can't be good for consumers..
see Hemlock blog (halfway down) http://www.geocities.com/hkhemlock/rat/diary-10may08.html
I admit the fact that they are trying to push off the ones that will go is more than usual sneaky even for a superarket!
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"As Expatguy says its the "claims" that are the issue so the claim to be "Low fat" and therefore "healthy" when really its full of sugar and stuff has to have additional labelling to show the dietary breakdown."
Indeed. One important point is that the authorities are (I presume) doing this to protect us as consumers from fraudulent labeling. Unfortunately this also means that health products with truthful labeling are banned.
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As far as I know, it's about truth in labeling. I have not heard anything about genetically engineered foods.
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It is frustrating that the HK govt. are unwilling to accept what is acceptable in more developed countries. But for a local supermarket to go all guns blazing with a petition would suggest, to me anyway, that it is about their money, not offering consumers an informed choice. I don't think the govt. are proposing to ban the products, but they want them to be tested which costs the supermarket and suppliers money which they are unwilling to do.
I thought many of these niche products are purchased directly by the supermarkets from wholesalers in the UK or USA and not through importers.
The petition to me seems like a tactical manouvre by the supermarkets to get us to panic, if enough people sign maybe they can get away without having to invest $ to get products certified. Even if they did pay I'm sure they would put a spin on increased prices by saying "since not enough people signed, we have no choice but...."
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"It is frustrating that the HK govt. are unwilling to accept what is acceptable in more developed countries. "
To be fair, quite a few countries require their own testing and labeling.
Also, I don't know if it's really fair to imply that HK is "less developed". ;)
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The problem is that this whole thing is about labelling but not about quality of food. Best example is the amount of water they inject to meat which you don't find if you buy brazil, NZ, OZ or american ones.
Ever thought about the fact that you have more lemon juice in your detergant than in your drinking juice? :-p
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