We Value True Natural

09 April 2025

The campaign at a glance

What do we mean when we say that we value true natural? Not all foods presented as natural are natural in reality. In the European Green Deal, the European Commission presented a strategy aiming at transforming the EU into a resource-efficient and sustainable society by 2050.

A part of it is the Farm to Fork strategy which supports the enforcement of rules on misleading information, which means the information included on packaging “must be accurate, clear, easy to understand”, according to the 2011 Food Information to Consumers Regulation. This should also no be misleading, ambiguous, or confusing.

Sadly, we know this is not the case. To prove it, in collaboration with the market research firms Ethica and Toluna from Italy and the UK, SAFE conducted an extensive survey of 5,000 individuals from five European countries (Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and Poland), to learn about their perceptions of food labels, particularly focusing on the term “natural.”

The survey confirms an urgent need for improved transparency and clarity in food labelling. It highlights significant gaps in consumer trust regarding product labels and underscore the necessity for more precise regulations.

The findings show that 85% consider it incorrect to use the word “natural” for products also containing synthetic ingredients and that 89% of Europeans believe that EU institutions should adopt regulations to make labels more transparent. SAFE believes that any product labelled as natural should be free from synthetic ingredients and GMOs, and should be biodegradable. The EU should agree on a clear definition of synthetic ingredients.

We expect Commissioner Várhelyi to advance legislation against misleading food labelling and to push for clearly visible information on the presence of Novel Foods and NGTs, as supported by the European Parliament earlier this year.