50 signatures reached
To: Michael Gove
Factual / accurate food labelling
Together with expert organisations work across relevant Government departments to devise legislation that ensures accurate food labelling on all food products sold in retail outlets such as shops, supermarkets and ‘fast food ‘ outlets such as take aways, including cafes and restaurant menus.
Legislation to ensure that other cosmetic products containing allergy sensitive ingredients such as nut oil which could enter the bloodstream via the skin, for example sun cream, have identifiable labelling.
Legislation to ensure that other cosmetic products containing allergy sensitive ingredients such as nut oil which could enter the bloodstream via the skin, for example sun cream, have identifiable labelling.
Why is this important?
Today’s inquest into the death of a fifteenth year old girl who eat a sandwich from Pret a Manger demonstrates the way in which current food labelling legislation is unfit for purpose. It also evidences the casual way in which such outlets respond to previous warnings and episodes experienced by their previous customers.
Serious allergies are increasing in our population. Recent inquests have included a junior school boy who died in his school playground, another ( having checked prior to purchase) girl who died from a curry purchased at a take away. Even Epipens prescribed by doctors to serious allergy sufferers at significant cost to our NHS appear unfit for purpose due to their inadequate needle length. Preventable deaths happen each year because food can kill and government,manufacturers, food outlets and other service providers such as airlines are too lazy in their responsibility towards this life threatening condition to help sufferers manage it.
My son suffered an Anaphalytic Shock due to nuts when he was six and nearly died. He carries two Epipens and has played ‘roulette ‘ ever since. Imagine Easter, Christmas, children’s birthday parties, going for a family meal, family shopping where everything has the catch all ‘may contain .....’ even when the ingredients do not. Do you risk it? Will the smiling waitress mention it to the chef? Will s/he bother to check ingredients? Will anyone on the plane eat a bag of nuts? Is a life not worth plane passengers giving up this snack for a couple of hours? Suffers do what is required to manage their often life long condition. It’s time others cooperated in providing the product specific information and services needed to ensure that their life threatening medical condition is not put at risk by them. The take away case resulted in a corporate manslaughter conviction. Food for thought!
Serious allergies are increasing in our population. Recent inquests have included a junior school boy who died in his school playground, another ( having checked prior to purchase) girl who died from a curry purchased at a take away. Even Epipens prescribed by doctors to serious allergy sufferers at significant cost to our NHS appear unfit for purpose due to their inadequate needle length. Preventable deaths happen each year because food can kill and government,manufacturers, food outlets and other service providers such as airlines are too lazy in their responsibility towards this life threatening condition to help sufferers manage it.
My son suffered an Anaphalytic Shock due to nuts when he was six and nearly died. He carries two Epipens and has played ‘roulette ‘ ever since. Imagine Easter, Christmas, children’s birthday parties, going for a family meal, family shopping where everything has the catch all ‘may contain .....’ even when the ingredients do not. Do you risk it? Will the smiling waitress mention it to the chef? Will s/he bother to check ingredients? Will anyone on the plane eat a bag of nuts? Is a life not worth plane passengers giving up this snack for a couple of hours? Suffers do what is required to manage their often life long condition. It’s time others cooperated in providing the product specific information and services needed to ensure that their life threatening medical condition is not put at risk by them. The take away case resulted in a corporate manslaughter conviction. Food for thought!
