Tackling Misleading Labelling in ‘Free From’ Aisles
Creative Nature, a prominent advocate for allergy-friendly foods, has launched a new social media campaign titled ‘May Contain’. This campaign seeks to bring greater transparency to the food labelling system in supermarkets, particularly in the ‘free from’ aisles, which are meant to cater to individuals with food allergies. The campaign aims to challenge the loopholes in food labelling that allow products labelled as ‘free from’ to still contain disclaimers like ‘may contain,’ which can mislead consumers and pose serious risks to those with allergies.
A recent report by barcode specialist GS1 revealed that 56% of people with food allergies have experienced allergic reactions due to mislabelled or unclear food packaging. As food allergies become more prevalent with an estimated two million people in the UK affected—Creative Nature’s campaign is calling for a reassessment of the ‘free from’ labelling standard to ensure safety for consumers.
Julianne Ponan: A Voice for Allergy Sufferers
Julianne Ponan MBE, CEO of Creative Nature and a severe allergy sufferer, is leading the charge on this campaign. Ponan, who also suffers from anaphylaxis, highlighted the inadequacy of current labelling laws, despite the introduction of Natasha’s Law in 2021.
“The current laws on food labelling, especially concerning allergens, remain deeply flawed,” said Ponan. “Ambiguous ‘may contain’ labelling makes it impossible for people like me to fully trust the safety of what we are buying.”
For individuals with allergies, the presence of a ‘may contain’ disclaimer on products housed in the ‘free from’ aisles creates confusion and unnecessary risks. Despite this, many products with such disclaimers are still sold in these aisles, putting allergic consumers at potential risk.
The ‘May Contain’ Campaign and Real-World Testing
Now in its second year, Creative Nature’s ‘May Contain’ campaign is focused on building consumer trust by ensuring that products labelled as ‘free from’ are genuinely safe for allergy sufferers. In August, Ponan hosted an allergy-friendly picnic to raise awareness of this issue. At the event, participants tested a product from a supermarket’s ‘free from’ aisle that contained a ‘may contain peanuts’ disclaimer. Using an AlerTox Stick—a tool designed to detect allergens even at low concentrations the group found that the product did, in fact, contain traces of peanuts.
The picnic united allergy sufferers and parents of allergic children, providing a platform to discuss their experiences and express frustrations over misleading labelling in ‘free from’ aisles. Ponan described the event as a powerful demonstration of the daily struggles faced by allergy sufferers.
Innovative Campaign Tactics
In a unique move, Creative Nature also collaborated with Harley, a Food Allergy Detective Dog (FADD) from California. Harley, known for his ability to detect allergens, tested various products, including ‘may contain’ items. Videos of his findings were shared on Instagram, where Harley has an audience of nearly 16,000 followers.
These real-world tests underscore the severity of the issue and reinforce the campaign’s message: ‘free from’ should mean exactly that—free from any risk for those with food allergies.
A Call for Action
Creative Nature is using the ‘May Contain’ campaign to call on supermarkets and retailers to take immediate action. The campaign urges them to ban products with ‘may contain’ disclaimers from ‘free from’ aisles and ensure that these aisles are truly safe for consumers with allergies.
“Our campaign is about making sure that ‘free from’ means exactly what it says and eliminating the confusion and danger caused by ‘may contain’ labels,” said Ponan. The ‘free from’ aisle should be completely free of the top 14 allergens, ensuring that individuals with allergies can shop with confidence and safety.
Engaging Consumers and Industry Stakeholders
The ‘May Contain’ campaign will be widely promoted across Creative Nature’s social media platforms, encouraging a dialogue between consumers, industry stakeholders, and supermarkets. By highlighting the importance of clear and accurate labelling, Creative Nature hopes to build momentum for change and enhance the safety of food options for allergy sufferers.