You can find more information on this on the consumer association’s Facebook page

However, the parties set different accents.

CDU / CSU: The Union wants to advance digital instruments for consumer protection, for example with digital contracts that trigger automatic compensation payments in the event of train or flight delays.

SPD: The party wants "unfair individual pricing" Put a stop to this with profiles from user data.

Bündnis 90 / Die Grünen: The eco-party wants to strengthen the freedom of choice and achieve that one can easily switch between providers, even with messenger services and social networks.

In future, consumers in Europe will be better informed about the content of fat, salt, sugar, protein and carbohydrates in food. As of 2014, a nutritional box on the back of each packaging must indicate how many calories a milk bar or frozen pizza contains. It has to be on the packaging.

Analog cheese must be labeled

According to the new regulation, the content of fat, saturated fatty acids, sugar, salt, proteins and carbohydrates per hundred grams must be clearly displayed on food packaging. Allergens should be printed in bold in the list of ingredients so that they are easier for consumers to recognize. Restaurants and canteens must also point out allergens. The origin must be indicated for fresh meat and fish. However, this does not apply to processed meat and fish products. For the first time, food imitations such as analog cheese or sticky meat must also be labeled, on the front, directly next to the brand name.

Nutrient tables for rough orientation only

Consumers should only use nutrient tables on food packaging for rough orientation. It is not possible to calculate exactly how much sugar is still allowed after the last chocolate bar you have eaten until the evening using the percentages for the daily requirement. "The information only gives an indication of whether that is a lot or a little", says Laura Gross from the consumer initiative in Berlin.

Traffic light labeling has not caught on

The so-called traffic light labeling in the colors red, yellow and green required by consumer advocates and medical associations is not prescribed. The food industry and several EU countries had defended themselves against this. The new regulation does not allow customers to choose the healthiest product at a glance. The consumer association Foodwatch and the consumer center in Berlin are also disappointed with this decision. The industry let its fight against stricter rules cost more than one billion euros, according to Foodwatch.123helpme.me

A duck noodle snack without meat, a selection of berries made from tea without real fruits: with many foods, buyers find it difficult to see what is really hidden behind the products. This is the result of a nationwide survey by consumer advice centers. Too many names of food are hidden, gloss over or difficult to understand. "The food suppliers are still stingy with the important information in their products", said Silke Schwartau, nutrition expert at the consumer center in Hamburg. Customers are misled with this packaging.

119 products examined

The consumer advocates examined 119 specifically selected products across Germany. They wanted to find out whether the legally required designation is clear and unambiguous and the buyer is informed about essential ingredients. "The result of our survey is sobering", reports Schwartau. The legal requirements were not complied with in 14 percent of the products examined.

Instead of meat and berries, flavorings

Almost half of all names were euphemistic. For the consumer, for example, it was not immediately apparent that the noodle snack or tea only contained flavorings instead of meat or berries. Important designations were not found on the front of 63 percent of the packaging. According to the consumer advice centers, the font size was too small in 27 percent of the cases.

Manufacturers must adhere to guidelines

The Federation for Food Law and Food Science (BLL) as the central association of the food industry emphasized that the labeling of food is uniformly regulated in the European Union. "The manufacturers have to orientate themselves to these specifications and not to the further wishes of the consumer advice center"said BLL managing director, Marcus Girnau.

In the fight against improper nutrition, health insurance companies and doctors, including TV doctor Eckart von Hirschhausen, are demanding a tax on sugary drinks. Politicians must finally get serious, it says in the call.

Besides the "Special levy" on sweetened drinks and restrictions on advertising aimed at children, they also call for the introduction of a "understandable food labeling in the form of a nutritional traffic light"what Berlin should advocate at EU level.

Binding specifications required

The problem of widespread obesity cannot be brought under control with voluntary self-commitments by industry and nutrition education alone. According to the initiators, the appeal was signed by more than 2,000 doctors.

The successes in the fight against smoking are only with help "binding specifications" has been achieved, said the organizations behind the call. These include the Techniker Krankenkasse, the professional association of paediatricians, the consumer organization Foodwatch, the German Diabetes Association, the AOK Federal Association and the television presenter and doctor Eckart von Hirschhausen.

Eckart von Hirschhausen: The doctor and TV presenter is calling for a sugar tax to be introduced together with health insurance companies and other medical professionals. (Source: Jens Büttner / dpa)

60 percent of adults are overweight

The alliance points out that in Germany 15 percent of children and 60 percent of adults are considered overweight. At the same time, it reminds us that countries like Finland, Belgium, Great Britain or France have already introduced taxes on sugared drinks. "When it comes to prevention, Germany is a developing country", explains Thomas Fischbach, President of the Professional Association of Pediatricians.

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The head association of the food industry criticized the call sharply. The industry needs "no instruction from interest groups", explains the chief executive of the Federation for Food Law and Food Science, Christoph Minhoff, in Berlin. The companies have been acting for years, providing information about nutritional values and ingredients and are ready to enter into dialogue. The initiative is only concerned with its public action "questionable finger pointing".

Sources used: AFP

The Federal Court of Justice (BGH) has ruled that where there are raspberries on it, there must also be raspberries on it. The fruit tea, which has been criticized since 2012 "Felix raspberry-vanilla adventure" leads astray with his product.

Because of the criticism, the children’s tea from the market leader Teekanne was taken off the shelves in 2012.

Contains neither raspberries nor vanilla

The Federation of German Consumer Organizations had sued Teekanne for the fruit tea package "Felix raspberry-vanilla adventure" Pictures of raspberries and vanilla showed, although the tea did not contain either of the two fruits or any natural aromas – the manufacturer Teekanne explicitly advertised it, "only natural ingredients" to use.

The BGH spoke of one here "Deception". It was not enough if the ingredients were listed precisely, but the appearance of the packaging suggested something completely different, it said. The BGH overturned a judgment of the Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court and restored the regional court judgment. The EU Court of Justice also came to the judgment in the summer.

EU ruling against Teekanne: Tea packaging must not deceive consumers

Ferrero Deutschland GmbH is under attack for its popular Nutella spread. The reason is the confusing nutritional information on the food packaging. The percentage of the recommended daily amount of fat and vitamins was calculated on the basis of different basic amounts. The higher regional court in Frankfurt am Main upheld a corresponding action by the Federation of German Consumer Organizations (vzbv).

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Different reference sizes on Nutella glass

The vitamin and nutritional information on the Nutella jar were correct, but not clear enough, as they were different reference values. The percentage of the recommended daily amount of nutrients such as fat and carbohydrates was previously calculated using a serving of 15 grams. In a second table, information was given on vitamins and minerals – but per 100 gram portion. This produced a positive-sounding result with regard to covering the daily requirement of 25 percent for magnesium and 78 percent for vitamin E. The values of sugar (nine percent) and fat (eight percent) appear reassuringly low at first glance.

Clarity for consumers

"However, these relationships only become clear to the understanding average consumer when he studies the table in detail", ruled the Higher Regional Court (OLG). Such an intensive test is not possible in the supermarket. There is a lack of both time and attention while shopping. Therefore, consumers would rather orientate themselves on the percentage figures in the table and overlook the fact that the reference values vary. The OLG also concludes that this "Deception" significantly influences the purchase decision.

Nutritional information must be understandable

In future, the Nutella jar must be provided with nutrient and vitamin tables that allow clear conclusions to be drawn quickly about the ingredients. Otherwise there is a threat of a fine of 250,000 euros. Ferrero announced that it would take the judgment to the Federal Court of Justice. The company was convinced that the design of the label "transparent and understandable" be. In addition, the labeling clearly complies with all legal requirements. At the same time, Ferrero stated that from the end of the year new labels will contain nutritional information both in 100 grams and per serving. The company justified this by saying that it "values clarity and transparency".

Green and white instead of red and white and yoghurt instead of milk: The new yoghurt slice from Ferrero is more modern and healthier than the original, the milk slice. At the moment, the snack can be found everywhere on refrigerated shelves and in advertising. But is it really healthier? The consumer center Hamburg (vzhh) did the test.

After all: the new yoghurt bar with 105 kilocalories actually delivers around ten percent fewer calories than the well-known milk bar. The fat content has also been reduced by 20 percent, according to the vzhh.

Lots of sugar, little yogurt

However, the fat content is still very high at 22.4 grams per 100 grams, according to consumer advocates. The fat comes mainly from the controversial palm oil, which mainly supplies the saturated fatty acids that are considered unhealthy. The sugar content is also much too high at just under 28 grams per 100 grams.

For comparison: 100 grams of natural yoghurt contain only about 3.5 grams of fat and just under 5 grams of sugar. A yogurt slice of 28 grams contains six times as much sugar and fat as in the same amount of natural yogurt.

No alternative to natural yogurt

The manufacturer has saved on the yogurt for this. According to vzhh, there are only around eight grams of yoghurt concentrate and five milliliters of whole milk in a slice. After all: the added lemon aroma comes from real lemons and gives the slices a fresh, lemony note. The added vanilla flavor, however, is artificial.

The conclusion of the consumer advice center: Even if the new yoghurt slices come across as healthier, they are not a real alternative to natural yoghurt.

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You can find more information on this on the consumer association’s Facebook page.

The new consumer portal on the Internet, which is supposed to uncover food fraud, went to its knees on Wednesday shortly after its launch due to too many users. The page www.lebensmittelklarheit.de is currently not or difficult to reach.

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The rush was too big

"We gave everything we could in terms of capacity, but the rush – which we are of course very happy about – was just too big", said Ute Bitter, spokeswoman for the consumer association Hessen, which oversees the offer. Federal Consumer Minister Ilse Aigner (CSU) and the consumer organizations officially started the project in Berlin in the morning – despite protests from the economy.

Consumers should report cheats

Consumers can report on the portal www.lebensmittelklarheit.de if they feel misled by the presentation of a product. The portal’s editorial team then gives the manufacturer concerned the opportunity to comment. The new website is being organized by the consumer advice centers. For example, customers get annoyed when fruit products contain no fruit, only artificial flavors. The consumer protection officer of the Union parliamentary group, Mechthild Heil, welcomed the new website.