Consumer watchdog finds food labels substandard

Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Perusing the label on packaged foods may be the last resort for consumers in ensuring the safety of the products, as most labels only adds to the confusion of exactly what it contains.

A recent study carried out by the Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) found that of the 58 food product samples taken from July to November 2003 from three supermarkets and one wholesale market in Jakarta, not one was in compliance with Government Regulation No. 69/1999 on labeling and advertisement of food products and other related regulations.

The samples were classified under six categories: Snacks, soft drinks, preserved vegetables/fruit, canned meat/fish, ketchup/sauces and baby food.

In a public discussion held on Wednesday, YLKI chairwoman Indah Suksmaningsih said that labels on some of the imported product samples did not mention local distributors nor provide reliable information on the expiry date and ingredients. Some did not even bear the mandatory Ministry of Health registration number.

"Even when all the required information appeared on the label, the language used was not Indonesian or used terms difficult for laymen to understand," she said.

The discussion was attended by officials from the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM), the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Indonesian Food and Beverages Association (GAPMI) and other consumer watchdogs.

Commenting on the results of the study, BPOM deputy for food and hazardous substance control Tien Gartini said using stickers for expiry dates or for its extension was a legal offense, as the law requires expiry dates to be printed on packages.

"So far, all producers and distributors have met the requirements to enter the Indonesian market. But we cannot monitor the entirety of 57,000 registered products being distributed nationwide too see whether they continue to abide by all regulations."

Defending small-scale food and beverage producers whose products often failed to meet international standards, GAPMI executive Tri Widodo Susilo blamed the lack of development funds for the industry and the high costs incurred by market requirements, including costs for required halal labels to indicate that a food was fit for consumption under Islamic law.

For detailed information on package labels and related issues, contact: the YLKI at (021) 79191255 or the BPOM at (021) 4263333.