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18.12.2024 - Foods

MulledWineInFocusOfTheNewLabelingRequirement

The cold season is mulled wine season. However, while consumers have only been able to learn on a voluntary basis how mulled wines from the supermarket are composed, this has changed due to an amendment in the law. Manufacturers are now required to provide information on ingredients and nutritional values. However, a market check by the Consumer Center Brandenburg (VZB) shows that the implementation of the new labeling requirement has not yet been comprehensive.

More transparency remains a goal

Since December 8, 2023, mulled wines with a later production date must have a complete labeling of ingredients and nutritional values. In November 2024, the VZB examined 84 mulled wines and fruit mulled wines. The result is sobering: Less than half of the products met the new regulations. Among the correctly labeled mulled wines, 94 percent of manufacturers take the easy route and use QR codes to provide the information electronically instead of printing it directly on the label.

Remaining stocks and lack of traceability

"Many products without labeling might have been produced before the new regulations came into effect. As long as these stocks are not depleted, they can continue to be sold," explains Carola Clausnitzer, food expert at the VZB. However, there is no obligation to indicate the production date on the label. Therefore, it is unclear whether the products are old stock or simply inadequately labeled goods.

QR codes complicate comparison

While most food items have ingredients and nutritional values directly on the packaging, wine-based beverages like mulled wine can hide this information behind a QR code. This makes comparing products in the store significantly more complicated. Consumers not only have to own an internet-enabled phone but also have a connection in the market – a requirement that is not always met. The market check also showed that the information provided was often incomplete or inaccessible. In one case, the QR code was so poorly printed that it could not be scanned at all.

The consumer advocate therefore demands that ingredients and nutritional values – as with most other food products – be printed directly on the label.

Calorie information on mulled wine labels

An innovation due to the labeling requirement is the mandatory indication of energy content. Consumers can now easily see how many calories a mulled wine contains. The market check revealed significant differences: The energy content ranges from 55 to 107 kilocalories per 100 milliliters. Accordingly, a cup of mulled wine can contain more than 200 kilocalories, depending on the sugar and alcohol content.

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