Mandatory food labeling with Nutri-Score and the implementation of eco-labels for food products were the key proposals that emerged from the citizens’ assembly held on April 13 and 14 in Belgrade.
The citizens’ assembly “Food Labeling in Serbia and Possible Alternatives: The Path to Healthy Eating and a Healthy Environment,” conducted by the Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, took place on April 13 and 14 in Belgrade, gathering 70 citizens from across Serbia. Over the two days, participants discussed issues related to food safety, choosing healthy options, reading labels, sustainable production, and consumer protection.
| Citizens’ assemblies are democratic forums where citizens actively engage in discussions on a local or national issue. Based on the idea of deliberation, people gather to discuss, exchange ideas and arguments, and collectively reach decisions. Participants are selected through random sampling to broadly represent the demographic characteristics of the population. They discuss in small groups and then come together to share views and ask questions to politicians and experts. After the discussions, the collected information is analyzed, and recommendations are formulated. The goal is to achieve consensus or make a decision based on arguments that support the public interest. |
Food labeling standards in Serbia are regulated by the Rulebook on Food Labeling, which aligns with European Union standards. Adopted in 2017 and effective from 2018, this rulebook prescribes mandatory and voluntary information that must be displayed on every packaged food product. Mandatory information includes the name of the food, list of ingredients, categories of ingredients and their quantities, net quantity, expiration date, special storage and use conditions, name and address of the food business operator, country of origin, usage instructions, actual alcohol content, nutritional declaration, batch or lot number, and food quality category or class. Additionally, voluntary information may be provided as long as it is accurate, clear, easy to understand, and based on scientific data. According to experts, the current information lacks details on the shelf life after opening, whether the actual product content matches the label, which accredited institutions verify this, and the composition of the packaging itself. There is also a discrepancy between the composition before and after packaging, and the rules do not specify the required quantity of declared products.
The most important proposals made by the citizens during the assembly concern mandatory front-of-pack labeling using Nutri-Score and the ‘traffic light’ labeling system. These nutritional labels should present information in a standardized and comprehensible way about how suitable a product is for consumption. Front-of-pack labeling is still voluntary in Serbia, as well as in the European Union. However, nutritional labeling of packaging is recommended by the World Health Organization. The latest initiative to introduce it in the European Union was launched in 2022 and is still in process.
Additionally, citizens recommended the use of QR codes on the back of packaging that consumers could scan. These codes should contain details about the product’s composition and all information in the ‘farm to table’ chain, along with descriptions of their impact on the environment and public health. Information on product shelf life after opening, date of last quality check, and the name of the accredited institution that conducted the inspection are among the details citizens believe deserve a place on the back of packaging.
The citizens’ assembly also discussed the implementation of eco-labels for food products. Like Nutri-Score, eco-labels are voluntary. There are about 450 different types of these labels worldwide, which often leaves consumers confused. Serbia has a National Eco-Label for domestic products and services with a lower environmental impact than existing ones on the market, but it does not include food products. The situation is similar in the European Union, which decided against introducing eco-labels for food following an extensive study in 2011.
Finally, citizens proposed systemic education on food safety, quality, and labeling, banning misleading advertising, and stricter control and sanctions for producers who violate the law.
In addition to group discussions, participants had the opportunity to present their proposals and questions to experts and representatives from health, agriculture, and economic sectors in two plenary sessions. Experts who engaged with citizens included Snežana Ukropina from the Institute of Public Health of Vojvodina, Radmila Velicki from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Aleksandra Mladenović from the association “Ambassadors of Sustainable Development and Environment,” and Mihajlo Gajić from the Libertarian Club.
Institutional representatives included Dr. Jasmina Madžgalj, Undersecretary of the Secretariat for Environmental Protection; Marina Mijatović from the Green-Left Front, a member of the Committee on Health and Family in the Serbian Parliament; Milica Marušić Jablanović from the People’s Movement of Serbia, a member of the Committee on Environmental Protection in the Serbian Parliament, and Sunčica Delić, Head of the Veterinary Inspection Group for Food Safety in Belgrade from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Water Management.
All conclusions reached by the citizens will be systematized and forwarded to the relevant decision-makers. The citizens’ assembly was conducted as part of the Real Deal project led by the German Institute for Sustainability Research and funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 program.