0:00:02 > 0:00:05There is a lot we don't know about the food on our plates
0:00:05 > 0:00:09and the shops and the labels don't always tell you the whole story.
0:00:09 > 0:00:13The packaging, I think, is very misleading and it can give people
0:00:13 > 0:00:16the impression they're getting more than there actually getting.
0:00:16 > 0:00:20Whether you're staying in or going out, you've told us you can
0:00:20 > 0:00:23feel ripped off by the promises made from what you eat
0:00:23 > 0:00:25and what you pay for it.
0:00:26 > 0:00:28I always say, when I get to the till and they tell me,
0:00:28 > 0:00:32"Never! It can't... How much?"
0:00:32 > 0:00:36From claims that don't stack up to the secrets behind the packaging,
0:00:36 > 0:00:40we uncover the truth about Britain's food so that you can be sure
0:00:40 > 0:00:43you are getting what you expect at the right price.
0:00:43 > 0:00:47Your food, your money. This is Rip-Off Britain.
0:00:50 > 0:00:51Hello and thanks for joining us
0:00:51 > 0:00:55right here in the very heart of the Rip-Off Britain office where
0:00:55 > 0:00:57today we're going to get stuck into what I'm pretty
0:00:57 > 0:01:01sure for a lot of us has to be one of the most important issues
0:01:01 > 0:01:05when it comes to our food and that is what exactly is in it
0:01:05 > 0:01:08and how much can we actually rely on what it says on the label?
0:01:08 > 0:01:11But, you know, you would hope that all the information you would
0:01:11 > 0:01:13need would be crystal clear on the packaging
0:01:13 > 0:01:17but, as you well know, sometimes that is definitely not the case
0:01:17 > 0:01:19so we've peeled back the labels of some of the country's
0:01:19 > 0:01:22biggest brands and best known products and I have to tell you
0:01:22 > 0:01:24we have made some surprising discoveries
0:01:24 > 0:01:26about what's actually inside,
0:01:26 > 0:01:28including a few extra ingredients you might not expect at all.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31But that's just for starters because were also going to be
0:01:31 > 0:01:35exposing the way that some products actually don't contain any
0:01:35 > 0:01:37of the food that you would expect them to
0:01:37 > 0:01:41and we'll be revealing how it is that companies can get away
0:01:41 > 0:01:44with selling something that may not be quite what you think.
0:01:46 > 0:01:49Coming up, the labelling system that could help you make healthier
0:01:49 > 0:01:55choices, so why have some of our biggest food companies not signed up?
0:01:55 > 0:01:57You have to read the details at the back
0:01:57 > 0:01:59and you don't always have time to do it.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02And they all use different systems, which adds to the confusion
0:02:02 > 0:02:04so, yeah, it could be clearer.
0:02:04 > 0:02:09And heard the one about the beef product containing no beef?
0:02:09 > 0:02:11You might be surprised by some of the ingredients
0:02:11 > 0:02:15missing from some of the well-known products in your cupboards.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18They just make it more difficult for you, don't they, all the time?
0:02:18 > 0:02:21You know, they must think we're stupid.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24Now, when I start to talk about this type of food, I want to go,
0:02:24 > 0:02:25"Get me out of here!"
0:02:25 > 0:02:29But normally we think that foods like crushed insects and the like
0:02:29 > 0:02:33are absolutely reserved from those celebrities trapped in the jungle.
0:02:33 > 0:02:35But now the viewer we are about to meet contacted us,
0:02:35 > 0:02:39furious about what she found in a lemon dessert and,
0:02:39 > 0:02:42subsequently, we've been discovering that can be a whole host
0:02:42 > 0:02:46of unexpected ingredients in some of the products we buy all the time.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50Lisa Jolly loves exploring
0:02:50 > 0:02:54and finding strange things in unusual places.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57If you want to come through, I'll show you a bit more of this tunnel.
0:02:58 > 0:03:00Which makes volunteering as a tour guide
0:03:00 > 0:03:04and excavator at the Liverpool's underground hidden gem
0:03:04 > 0:03:07the Williamson Tunnels perfect for her.
0:03:07 > 0:03:11The recently discovered passages are full of odd things which have
0:03:11 > 0:03:13been dumped there by the Victorians.
0:03:14 > 0:03:18These were all after Williamson's time.
0:03:18 > 0:03:24Williamson died in 1840 and, when he died, the work on the tunnels
0:03:24 > 0:03:27stopped because there was nobody to pay the men
0:03:27 > 0:03:31and that's when the rubbish and the rubble started to be thrown in.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34If you'd like to follow me. Mind your feet again.
0:03:37 > 0:03:41But, much to her frustration, under the streets of Liverpool isn't the
0:03:41 > 0:03:45only unusual place Lisa has been finding unexpected things of late.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48As a vegetarian, she's very careful about what
0:03:48 > 0:03:50she puts in her shopping basket.
0:03:50 > 0:03:56When we moved to northern Shropshire, surrounded by fields and there's
0:03:56 > 0:04:02sheep and cows in the field and the young lambs would be born and,
0:04:02 > 0:04:07"Oh, I've got to eat them now," and I just... I can't do it any more.
0:04:07 > 0:04:08I just... I just stopped.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11Good lad. Come on.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15And, these days, making sure that your dinner is meat-free is
0:04:15 > 0:04:18a lot easier for busy shoppers than it used to be.
0:04:18 > 0:04:20Or so you would think.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23I bought one of these meal deals.
0:04:23 > 0:04:28You get a main course, vegetables and dessert for £6, I think it was
0:04:28 > 0:04:31and then he was restocking the shelf
0:04:31 > 0:04:34and he came along with some lemon puddings. Just what I wanted.
0:04:34 > 0:04:38I was in a hurry, took the lemon pudding, came home.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40So far, so good.
0:04:40 > 0:04:44But the back of the packet was to reveal an unfortunate surprise.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48It wasn't till I got home that I read the back
0:04:48 > 0:04:51and it had got beef gelatine in it.
0:04:51 > 0:04:52I couldn't eat it.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56Gelatine is a setting agent commonly used to thicken
0:04:56 > 0:04:59and stabilise desserts but vegetarians avoid it
0:04:59 > 0:05:03because it's made from the boiled bones and skin of animals.
0:05:03 > 0:05:05So, for Lisa, it was no good at all.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09Now, you don't have to be a vegetarian to be surprised
0:05:09 > 0:05:11by some of the things that make it into your food
0:05:11 > 0:05:14and, you know, the closer you look at the small print on the labels,
0:05:14 > 0:05:17the more surprised you're likely to be.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20'Now, how about insects?
0:05:20 > 0:05:22'Well, that's the surprising ingredient
0:05:22 > 0:05:26'in these treats that we tried to tempt some London shoppers with.
0:05:26 > 0:05:30'And it's in plenty more foods that you may have eaten yourself.'
0:05:30 > 0:05:33- Does it taste nice? Yeah? - Why? What's in it?
0:05:33 > 0:05:35Are you going to freak us out?
0:05:35 > 0:05:36That looks like cream.
0:05:36 > 0:05:41- Some form of cream.- Yes. - Maybe, I don't know, it looks...
0:05:42 > 0:05:44A flower of some sort. But there's...
0:05:44 > 0:05:46Are there colouring agents in there or is it natural?
0:05:46 > 0:05:50- Where do you think the colouring comes from?- Is it, like, beetles?
0:05:50 > 0:05:52You're right. Good for you.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55It's actually cochineal so it's crushed beetles.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57Do you know what cochineal is made of?
0:05:57 > 0:06:00Well, from the word, it sounds as if it's something red.
0:06:00 > 0:06:05- So is it a beetroot or...?- It's actually crushed beetles.- Oh, God.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07Horrible. I'm glad I didn't eat.
0:06:07 > 0:06:08You heard right.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11The food colouring agent cochineal is made from beetles,
0:06:11 > 0:06:14which gives it its distinctive colour.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18'It's common in confectionery, desserts and processed meat
0:06:18 > 0:06:22'and there's a surprise ingredient in these jellybeans as well.'
0:06:22 > 0:06:23Have one of those.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28That's divine.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32What do you think it might be in and around the jellybean?
0:06:32 > 0:06:34- No?- Well, it's the outer covering of the jellybean.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37- It's a thing called shellac. - What's that?
0:06:37 > 0:06:40- Do you know where shellac comes from?- No.
0:06:40 > 0:06:44- It comes from the secretion of all those critters.- Nice.
0:06:47 > 0:06:48Nice(!)
0:06:48 > 0:06:51Shellac, sometimes known as confectioners' glaze,
0:06:51 > 0:06:55is what makes the beans shiny but what you may not know is that
0:06:55 > 0:06:58it's made from a substance that oozes out of a bug's skin.
0:06:59 > 0:07:03It's not just the icky by-products of the animal kingdom
0:07:03 > 0:07:06we can expect to find popping up in our food and drink.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09There may sometimes be more familiar ingredients, used,
0:07:09 > 0:07:12though, in a thoroughly unexpected way, creating combinations
0:07:12 > 0:07:16of foodstuffs that we might never have thought of mixing ourselves.
0:07:16 > 0:07:20For example, milk in your wine, anyone?
0:07:20 > 0:07:23Well, it turns out that is exactly what you might
0:07:23 > 0:07:26find in many of the bottles we buy all the time.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28'Now, it's something that I'd never heard of until
0:07:28 > 0:07:33'I headed into the lab with our food science expert, Dr Peter Maynard.'
0:07:33 > 0:07:36So, what happens in here, then, Peter, with the wine?
0:07:36 > 0:07:38This is Sandra. She's testing these wines
0:07:38 > 0:07:42for things that you might not expect to find in wine.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46- Apart from wine.- Apart from grapes, which would expect to find in wine.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49But you wouldn't, perhaps, expect to find any milk in wine, would you?
0:07:49 > 0:07:53- Seriously?- Oh, yes, seriously. Yeah. - And why would they put milk in wine?
0:07:53 > 0:07:57Well, it's the milk protein which helps to make the wine clear.
0:07:57 > 0:08:02If you add it, everything just coagulates and falls to the bottom
0:08:02 > 0:08:05and you can then filter it off and you're left with a nice clear
0:08:05 > 0:08:07wine, which is what consumers want.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09They don't want a hazy wine, of course.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12Wine can also be clarified by using egg,
0:08:12 > 0:08:16so, as there's a chance that traces can remain in the finished product,
0:08:16 > 0:08:19that, too, is often listed in the ingredients.
0:08:20 > 0:08:22And what is Sandra checking out on the screen?
0:08:22 > 0:08:26She's checking to see if there's any milk remaining in the wine.
0:08:26 > 0:08:27There shouldn't be.
0:08:27 > 0:08:32It should all disappear during the processing but, because milk is
0:08:32 > 0:08:36an allergen to some people, it has to actually be declared on the label.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38So, in future when I have wine, I'll just say,
0:08:38 > 0:08:40"I'm just having egg and milk, really."
0:08:40 > 0:08:41THEY LAUGH
0:08:41 > 0:08:44Well, hopefully, there's very little left.
0:08:44 > 0:08:45So, what has Sandra discovered here?
0:08:45 > 0:08:51Well, she's testing these three wines and, from the actual results,
0:08:51 > 0:08:52we can see that none of them
0:08:52 > 0:08:56actually contain a detectable amount of milk.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59Even though it might say it on the label.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01It has been used in the process
0:09:01 > 0:09:05but it's been lost during the process as well.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09This may all seem like a bit of fun but there is a very serious
0:09:09 > 0:09:14side to finding unexpected things in your food - allergic reactions.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17Which is why manufacturers of pre-packed foods have to
0:09:17 > 0:09:18state on the label
0:09:18 > 0:09:22if their products contain one of 14 foods that can trigger
0:09:22 > 0:09:24allergies and why many of them
0:09:24 > 0:09:26choose to err on the side of caution
0:09:26 > 0:09:30and add a warning even if allergens may only possibly be found.
0:09:33 > 0:09:35It's only in the last year or so
0:09:35 > 0:09:38that they actually had to be labelled as containing...
0:09:38 > 0:09:40- possibly containing milk or egg. - Is that because of allergy factor?
0:09:40 > 0:09:42Because of the allergen.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45Some people are much more allergic than others so,
0:09:45 > 0:09:50although we've determined that there is no milk left in here, some people
0:09:50 > 0:09:54might react if there was even one part per million of milk in there.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57Other people who are sensitive to milk
0:09:57 > 0:10:00would not react at that low level.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02So it's very difficult to actually say,
0:10:02 > 0:10:05"There is so much here, therefore it must be labelled,"
0:10:05 > 0:10:09so, in fact, you have to say it to all the bottles.
0:10:09 > 0:10:13If it's been treated with milk, you must declare that process.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17'It's the fact that even tiny, tiny traces of particular foods
0:10:17 > 0:10:19'can cause allergic reactions
0:10:19 > 0:10:24'which makes it so vital for us to know exactly what we are consuming
0:10:24 > 0:10:27'and so crucial that labelling is clear to prevent anyone
0:10:27 > 0:10:30'eating or drinking a particular ingredient in a product
0:10:30 > 0:10:33'they never dreamt would contain it.'
0:10:33 > 0:10:36Later in the programme, we'll be hearing just how serious
0:10:36 > 0:10:39finding something unexpected in your food can be.
0:10:41 > 0:10:45I would actually be really struggling for breath
0:10:45 > 0:10:49and feeling very dizzy and sometimes I would vomit.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55If you're trying to make sure that you're eating healthily and want
0:10:55 > 0:10:59to know exactly what's in your food, how easy is it for you to find out?
0:10:59 > 0:11:02Now, you might think that all you need to do is take a quick
0:11:02 > 0:11:05look at the label but it's really never been quite as straightforward
0:11:05 > 0:11:09as that because there's never been a consistent approach by retailers and
0:11:09 > 0:11:13manufacturers about the way in which they present their information.
0:11:13 > 0:11:16But, in theory, all of that has changed
0:11:16 > 0:11:20because a new colour-coded system of labelling has now been introduced,
0:11:20 > 0:11:23the idea being that, pretty much at a glance, you can now easily
0:11:23 > 0:11:27spot the nutritional content of the food that you are buying
0:11:27 > 0:11:31and, just as importantly, instantly understand what that means.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34The trouble is some of the biggest names in the food
0:11:34 > 0:11:39business are refusing to play ball. So what does that mean for you
0:11:39 > 0:11:41if you are keen to make the right choices?
0:11:43 > 0:11:45With obesity at an all-time high
0:11:45 > 0:11:48and the related health problems costing the NHS
0:11:48 > 0:11:52more than £5 billion a year, it's a no-brainer that most of us
0:11:52 > 0:11:55will want to think about what effects the things that we
0:11:55 > 0:11:58put in our supermarket basket are going to have on our health.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05But to do that and to make informed choices,
0:12:05 > 0:12:08we need hard facts about what is in our food...
0:12:10 > 0:12:11..which is where labels come in.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14But when we're doing our weekly supermarket sweep,
0:12:14 > 0:12:19we don't want to spend ages trying to figure out what they mean.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23Isabelle Szmigin is an expert in how consumers behave.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26When we go into the supermarket, when we are doing our shopping,
0:12:26 > 0:12:29most of us have got a very small amount of time.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32Some of us have got small children with us
0:12:32 > 0:12:34so we're making very quick decisions.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38In fact, it's estimated that we typically spend under
0:12:38 > 0:12:41a second looking at the food packaging before deciding
0:12:41 > 0:12:45whether to pop it in the basket or put it back on the shelf.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48But, up to now, there's been no uniform system
0:12:48 > 0:12:49for how nutritional information
0:12:49 > 0:12:53is displayed on food labels that actually help us make up our minds.
0:12:54 > 0:12:58So, while you're strolling down the supermarket aisles
0:12:58 > 0:13:01doing your shopping, it means you've got to take in a whole
0:13:01 > 0:13:06load of facts and figures that are presented in a variety of ways.
0:13:06 > 0:13:10So, for instance, you may be trying to work out how many calories there
0:13:10 > 0:13:14are in something or whether or not the levels of sugar, salt,
0:13:14 > 0:13:16saturated fats are too high.
0:13:16 > 0:13:20It really is quite difficult to make sense of it all.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23If I'm picking up something, looking at it, the front and the back
0:13:23 > 0:13:26and so on, and I don't know where to find it, it's going to take me
0:13:26 > 0:13:29longer and possibly I'm not even going to look at that information
0:13:29 > 0:13:34so we need something that is clear and you can immediately see it.
0:13:34 > 0:13:38To find out just how easy it is to decipher the details on the packet,
0:13:38 > 0:13:42we've taken to the streets, armed with three pepperoni pizzas
0:13:42 > 0:13:46and the nutritional labels that we found on the supermarket packaging.
0:13:46 > 0:13:51Each of them displayed their nutritional stats in different ways.
0:13:51 > 0:13:55This one displays the information on the front of the pack.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58It shows the percentage of your guideline daily intake
0:13:58 > 0:14:00of sugar, fat, saturates and salt
0:14:00 > 0:14:03and uses a colour-coded traffic light system to show
0:14:03 > 0:14:06whether those amounts are healthy.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09The next has the nutritional information listed under
0:14:09 > 0:14:13the ingredients on the back of the pack but doesn't make clear
0:14:13 > 0:14:17whether the amounts are particularly high or low.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21And the third one displays the percentage per serving of an adult's
0:14:21 > 0:14:24guideline daily amount but doesn't explicitly highlight,
0:14:24 > 0:14:26through colour or words,
0:14:26 > 0:14:30whether the levels of sugar, fat, saturates or salt are high.
0:14:30 > 0:14:34So, which style label do shoppers find easiest to understand?
0:14:34 > 0:14:37We asked them to stick one of our flags in the pizza
0:14:37 > 0:14:40which they thought had the clearest label.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43I like that cos I'm thinking it's the traffic light system
0:14:43 > 0:14:46so red is really bad, amber not so bad.
0:14:46 > 0:14:48I think I prefer that one.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51It's got to be as easy to read as possible.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54I think having it on the back is a really bad idea.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56Oh, no, that's not good, is it?
0:14:56 > 0:14:58You don't want to be turning the pizza upside down.
0:14:58 > 0:15:00But I like the labelling on that one.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03I'd say this one. It's per half pizza
0:15:03 > 0:15:05so, I suppose, obviously, it's easier math to do.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09From our highly unscientific experiment,
0:15:09 > 0:15:12it seems that the information on the traffic light style
0:15:12 > 0:15:15of labelling that you find the easiest to digest.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18But perhaps that shouldn't be a surprise.
0:15:18 > 0:15:22It's long been the method for which many of the industry
0:15:22 > 0:15:23have been pushing.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26And that's because it's so simple to understand.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29Low levels of, say, salt or fat are labelled green to
0:15:29 > 0:15:33suggest that they're healthy while higher levels are marked in red.
0:15:34 > 0:15:39Using the traffic light system, we've got a really clear short cut.
0:15:39 > 0:15:43I know what green means, I know what red means.
0:15:43 > 0:15:46And if I see something like this that's got, you know,
0:15:46 > 0:15:50the majority of red, I'm making an assessment fairly quickly.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53I don't have to, you know, look all over
0:15:53 > 0:15:56the back of the packet for various information.
0:15:56 > 0:15:57I don't necessarily have to work out,
0:15:57 > 0:16:01"Well, how much does this mean by 100g or how much would a portion be?"
0:16:03 > 0:16:08And the Government agrees and, in 2012, introduced a design for
0:16:08 > 0:16:12a consistent front-of-pack labelling using the traffic lights system.
0:16:12 > 0:16:16It's designed to make it easier for us to make healthy choices
0:16:16 > 0:16:19by highlighting when levels are particularly high.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22The trouble is that some of the biggest names in the food
0:16:22 > 0:16:26business are simply refusing to use what is a voluntary scheme.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30They will not put the traffic light labelling on their products
0:16:30 > 0:16:33and that means that, as a consumer,
0:16:33 > 0:16:36you are going to continue to be faced with a rather bewildering
0:16:36 > 0:16:41choice of very hard to compare labels every time you go shopping.
0:16:42 > 0:16:46Amongst the companies who haven't yet signed up are Coca-Cola,
0:16:46 > 0:16:49the biggest soft drinks company in the world.
0:16:49 > 0:16:53Kellogg's, Heinz and Birds Eye have also said no to the scheme.
0:16:53 > 0:16:58As has Mondelez International, the snack food giant behind brands
0:16:58 > 0:17:02including Cadbury's, Toblerone, Dairylea and Philadelphia.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05So, why are the manufacturers so reluctant to use
0:17:05 > 0:17:08the traffic light labelling, especially when you consider that,
0:17:08 > 0:17:13as consumers, we buy millions of their products every single day?
0:17:13 > 0:17:18Well, a recent survey showed that 40% of women and 30% of men
0:17:18 > 0:17:20are actually put off buying a product
0:17:20 > 0:17:23when they see the red traffic light because that indicates
0:17:23 > 0:17:26that it's high in salt, fat or sugar.
0:17:26 > 0:17:30So, could it be that manufacturers are really worried that once
0:17:30 > 0:17:34we see what's actually in their products we wouldn't buy them?
0:17:36 > 0:17:39In fact, while that may be true for some of them,
0:17:39 > 0:17:41it's not the whole story.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44After all, other big names whose products are likely to score
0:17:44 > 0:17:49red for some ingredients - companies like Pepsi, Mars and Nestle -
0:17:49 > 0:17:53have signed up and will display the traffic light labels.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56So we asked the main companies resisting the scheme
0:17:56 > 0:17:59if we could interview them to find out why.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01None of them wanted to appear on camera
0:18:01 > 0:18:04to discuss their opposition to traffic light labelling.
0:18:06 > 0:18:07OK, all right, many thanks.
0:18:07 > 0:18:10Instead, some provided written responses,
0:18:10 > 0:18:12which all said much the same thing -
0:18:12 > 0:18:14that they're keeping an open mind
0:18:14 > 0:18:17on the best labelling system for consumers.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19They believe that the nutritional information
0:18:19 > 0:18:24they already have on their products is clear and transparent.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27They also worry that the serving size used in the Government scheme
0:18:27 > 0:18:29can be unfair.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32For instance, United Biscuits say that they think it's more
0:18:32 > 0:18:36useful to show the nutritional content per biscuit
0:18:36 > 0:18:40rather than per 100g, as the Government wants,
0:18:40 > 0:18:44pointing out that 100g would be quite a lot of digestives.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47Now, you might wonder why it is that the British Government doesn't
0:18:47 > 0:18:50simply force food manufacturers to use the traffic light system.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53It would certainly make life a lot simpler.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55Well, the answer lies across the Channel in Brussels.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58Now, food labelling is part of European law
0:18:58 > 0:19:01but, so far, the EU has not recognised
0:19:01 > 0:19:04the traffic light system and made it compulsory
0:19:04 > 0:19:09and that means that, here in Britain, it has to be voluntary.
0:19:09 > 0:19:13And, as a result, with so many companies refusing to take part,
0:19:13 > 0:19:16it's thought that only around 60% of the food industry will be
0:19:16 > 0:19:21using the traffic light labels that are currently being rolled out.
0:19:21 > 0:19:25But the Department of Health hopes that consumer pressure will
0:19:25 > 0:19:27persuade companies to join.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30They told us that...
0:19:34 > 0:19:37And they're confident that consistent front-of-pack labelling
0:19:37 > 0:19:42will give people the information they need to make healthier choices.
0:19:42 > 0:19:46It does seem true that shoppers prefer this type of labelling,
0:19:46 > 0:19:48which, it's hoped, will make it easier to compare
0:19:48 > 0:19:51the foods on the supermarket shelves.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54But, with no way of making it mandatory and some in the
0:19:54 > 0:19:58industry adamant that the labels are not fair to their products,
0:19:58 > 0:20:03don't hold your breath for a scheme that covers everything you buy.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09As we've been finding out throughout this series, it's not always
0:20:09 > 0:20:13easy to work out exactly what's in the food we eat so,
0:20:13 > 0:20:16unless you cook something yourself, you're rather at the mercy of
0:20:16 > 0:20:19the food manufacturers. Not least because, while sometimes
0:20:19 > 0:20:23the name of a product made make you think it contains a particular
0:20:23 > 0:20:27ingredient, you might find, in fact, it does nothing of the kind.
0:20:29 > 0:20:33Stopping to forensically examine the packaging may not always be
0:20:33 > 0:20:36top of our shopping list when we're whizzing round this market
0:20:36 > 0:20:37with other things on our minds.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43But sometimes what's inside the packaging isn't quite what the
0:20:43 > 0:20:47name or the flavour on the outside might lead you to believe.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51Take a look at this ramen noodle soup for example.
0:20:51 > 0:20:53Chilli beef flavour. Just a quick look, though,
0:20:53 > 0:20:56as if you were making that instant decision in the shop.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59So, what would you expect these noodles to have in them?
0:20:59 > 0:21:05Well, whatever else they've got, one thing is missing and that's beef.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07And what about this wibbly-wobbly favourite?
0:21:07 > 0:21:10With the pot promising a new fruitier taste,
0:21:10 > 0:21:14you might hope there'd be strawberries in there. Er...no.
0:21:14 > 0:21:18It might taste fruity but inside you won't find any fruit at all.
0:21:18 > 0:21:22The only way to know that would be to study the ingredients in detail
0:21:22 > 0:21:25but how many of us always do that when we're out shopping?
0:21:27 > 0:21:30I'm here at Birmingham's wonderful Bullring Market
0:21:30 > 0:21:35where if you can be certain of one thing it's if you buy an apple
0:21:35 > 0:21:40it contains apple and nothing else.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43But processed foods are not so straightforward.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46So how easily can Birmingham's shoppers spot what's what
0:21:46 > 0:21:48when it comes to prepared foods?
0:21:49 > 0:21:53We've bought three noodle products that proudly have the word
0:21:53 > 0:21:54"beef" on the label.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57Only one actually contains any beef at all,
0:21:57 > 0:22:02and even then, it only has 1.8% beef in the whole thing.
0:22:02 > 0:22:06So, which is it? We're asking shoppers, "where's the beef?"
0:22:06 > 0:22:09And as they try and guess, we'll also find out what they'd expect
0:22:09 > 0:22:14from these products from just that very first quick look at the label.
0:22:14 > 0:22:18Underneath these three tureens are three items that you would find
0:22:18 > 0:22:22if you were doing your supermarket shop, they would be on the shelves,
0:22:22 > 0:22:24and they've all got the word "beef" on them, OK?
0:22:24 > 0:22:28But only one of them actually contains any beef.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30The others have no beef at all.
0:22:30 > 0:22:34So, which of those three products do our shoppers think has the beef in?
0:22:35 > 0:22:37- That one.- That one.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40But if they're not finding the packaging instantly helpful,
0:22:40 > 0:22:44one thing is clear - confusion reigns.
0:22:44 > 0:22:49- We haven't got to taste them? - No, no. It's all done by looks Because it's got beef written on it.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51- It does say beef.- They all do.
0:22:51 > 0:22:56They all do. That's the point. They've all got the word beef.
0:22:56 > 0:23:01To me, as a shopper, if it says beef on it, it should be beef, end of story.
0:23:01 > 0:23:05Well, they just make it more difficult for you, don't they? All the time, you know.
0:23:05 > 0:23:07They must think we're stupid.
0:23:07 > 0:23:11When you see beef you expect a little beef, but it's terrible, really.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14Surely there's one man on the market who should be able to tell
0:23:14 > 0:23:16the beef from the beef-less.
0:23:16 > 0:23:22With your butcher's hat on, which one do you think has got the beef?
0:23:22 > 0:23:25It's between them two.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27I'm going to go for the Pot Noodle.
0:23:27 > 0:23:33- The sad news is you've unerringly picked the two that have no beef in them.- Oh, no! Right.
0:23:33 > 0:23:37And the one that has got the beef is that one there.
0:23:37 > 0:23:42How do you feel about the fact that they all said they were beef something or other,
0:23:42 > 0:23:45and it's turned out that only one of them is?
0:23:45 > 0:23:48It's misrepresentation there, isn't it?
0:23:48 > 0:23:52- I mean...- if I was selling minced beef
0:23:52 > 0:23:56and then put something that said "lamb" on it, I'd get done straightaway.
0:23:56 > 0:23:58It might seem like basic common sense -
0:23:58 > 0:24:02if it says beef on the packet, you'll find beef in the packet,
0:24:02 > 0:24:05but with plenty of our foods, it's not that simple.
0:24:05 > 0:24:09So how can food manufacturers get away with suggesting
0:24:09 > 0:24:12an ingredient that isn't actually there?
0:24:12 > 0:24:17It all boils down to the regulations, and in fact to one little word.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19and that word is "flavour."
0:24:22 > 0:24:27And that word is the get-out-of-jail-free card for the food companies.
0:24:29 > 0:24:33If something is labelled as flavour, so beef flavour or prawn flavour, etc,
0:24:33 > 0:24:39it doesn't actually have to contain any of the apparently key ingredient at all.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42So none of these products are made using even the tiniest bit
0:24:42 > 0:24:45of foods that the name may make you think are inside.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50But they're not breaking any rules.
0:24:50 > 0:24:51As long as it's there somewhere,
0:24:51 > 0:24:54that magic word flavour doesn't need to be the same size
0:24:54 > 0:24:58as the name of the ingredient you may think you are buying but aren't.
0:24:58 > 0:25:02So, better make sure you take your specs on the supermarket run.
0:25:02 > 0:25:06But should we really have to look at the packaging quite so closely?
0:25:06 > 0:25:08What do the experts say?
0:25:08 > 0:25:12Most manufacturers would say, you've only got to turn the product over
0:25:12 > 0:25:16and you can see the exact ingredients that are there.
0:25:16 > 0:25:18On the other hand, from the consumer's perspective,
0:25:18 > 0:25:21we've got to remember that we don't take lots of time checking
0:25:21 > 0:25:24everything out, and we do make short cuts,
0:25:24 > 0:25:28so if we see something that we can immediately recognise,
0:25:28 > 0:25:34like beef flavour, we're going to probably most of the time assume that it has got some beef in it.
0:25:34 > 0:25:38So what would happen if the food companies made it easier for us
0:25:38 > 0:25:42by changing their labels to spell out not what isn't in their products
0:25:42 > 0:25:45but instead what they actually DO contain?
0:25:45 > 0:25:48Their packets would certainly look rather different.
0:25:48 > 0:25:53Hartley's ready to eat strawberry jelly. Flavouring created in a lab.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55No strawberry whatsoever.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58colouring derived from powdered insect bodies,
0:25:58 > 0:26:02and therefore not suitable for vegetarians.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05And this Uncle Ben's savoury chicken rice. You guessed it...
0:26:05 > 0:26:10No chicken whatsoever. Just chicken flavour.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13So meat free, even a veggie can tuck in.
0:26:14 > 0:26:19Spelling things out would certainly make things easier for time-strapped shoppers,
0:26:19 > 0:26:22but it probably wouldn't be as lucrative.
0:26:22 > 0:26:26So I think it's this issue about responsibility from the point of view of manufacturers,
0:26:26 > 0:26:30but I think if we had a manufacturer here most of them would say, you know,
0:26:30 > 0:26:32that may just be too much information
0:26:32 > 0:26:37and it may put people off buying something that is a perfectly good product.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41When we contacted the manufacturers of the examples we've shown,
0:26:41 > 0:26:45they all said it certainly isn't their intention to mislead anyone
0:26:45 > 0:26:49with regard to the labelling and contents of their product.
0:26:49 > 0:26:54The two noodle companies that didn't include beef reiterated
0:26:54 > 0:26:58that their packs have the word flavour clearly stated to avoid confusion,
0:26:58 > 0:27:02and that they satisfy all labelling regulations.
0:27:02 > 0:27:07They also point out that the packaging makes clear their beef flavour products
0:27:07 > 0:27:09are suitable for vegetarians,
0:27:09 > 0:27:13whereas Hartley's told us their strawberry jelly now has a new label.
0:27:15 > 0:27:19But there is one further thing to keep in mind when you are trying to figure out
0:27:19 > 0:27:23if there actually is prawn in your prawn cocktail crisps or beef
0:27:23 > 0:27:28in your beef noodles, and this time it comes down to two extra letters.
0:27:28 > 0:27:33If the label says "flavoured" rather than simply "flavour",
0:27:33 > 0:27:35it must contain that ingredient.
0:27:35 > 0:27:39It's a lot to remember when you're trying to make sense of the packaging quickly,
0:27:39 > 0:27:42especially in the middle of a shop, but with the rules on labelling
0:27:42 > 0:27:46unlikely to change any time soon, it seems there's no way round it.
0:27:46 > 0:27:51If in doubt, you'll just have to plough through the small print on the label.
0:27:51 > 0:27:56As consumers we need to be aware that this is what manufacturers and advertisers do,
0:27:56 > 0:27:58and take it with a bit of a pinch of salt.
0:28:03 > 0:28:07The consequences of inaccurate and even fake information on food
0:28:07 > 0:28:11and drink labels sold in the UK can be very serious indeed.
0:28:11 > 0:28:15When the authorities find examples that don't meet British rules,
0:28:15 > 0:28:21they are often sent here, to the Kent laboratory of our food science expert, Dr Peter Maynard.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24Yet another mystery place you have taken me to in your laboratory!
0:28:24 > 0:28:26It's your naughty room, really.
0:28:26 > 0:28:30Yeah, there are certainly a lot of naughty samples in here, yes.
0:28:30 > 0:28:35What's the system? I see obviously lots of different areas, so who sends you this stuff?
0:28:35 > 0:28:38Well, a lot of different counties or Environmental Health.
0:28:38 > 0:28:41And then what happens?
0:28:41 > 0:28:44We do the analysis that is required, and then we'll
0:28:44 > 0:28:49look at the actual product and its labelling and compare it with the legislation.
0:28:49 > 0:28:53So, for instance, this one you can see is a nice red soft drink,
0:28:53 > 0:28:57but it's made in America, made in the USA,
0:28:57 > 0:29:01and instead of having allura red in the list of ingredients,
0:29:01 > 0:29:04it's got red 40. Well, no-one knows what red 40 is.
0:29:04 > 0:29:08So in this case the labelling is not correct according to European standards?
0:29:08 > 0:29:10The labelling is not correct. If it was made in Europe,
0:29:10 > 0:29:13it would not only have to say allura red, but it would have to say
0:29:13 > 0:29:17that it might cause hyperactivity in children.
0:29:17 > 0:29:22- That is not a requirement in America. - Really? I'm surprised.
0:29:22 > 0:29:25So therefore, if this came from Cambridgeshire, it means that
0:29:25 > 0:29:29- you would send that back and say, "this can't be sold here?"- Yes.
0:29:31 > 0:29:33What do you think of the labelling on that one?
0:29:33 > 0:29:35I mean, even an nonexpert...
0:29:35 > 0:29:40Even without my glasses I can see there's not one word of English on it!
0:29:40 > 0:29:43Who knows what's in it? I don't know what's in it.
0:29:43 > 0:29:46- Of course. And was this actually on sale?- Oh, yes, in Europe.
0:29:46 > 0:29:49- So, don't buy this in Hertfordshire, eh?- Don't buy it anywhere.
0:29:49 > 0:29:53- Will that now be taken off the market?- I hope so. - I'm enjoying this.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56- Ah!- Suffolk.- This is where you keep the booze, eh?
0:29:56 > 0:30:01- A bottle of gin.- Yes. - And there is no English on it at all.
0:30:01 > 0:30:08So things like this should have on the back a UK duty stamp.
0:30:08 > 0:30:11Now, because it doesn't have a duty stamp,
0:30:11 > 0:30:12it means it's been imported illegally.
0:30:12 > 0:30:16- And of course you get a lot of counterfeit stuff coming in to be tested, don't you?- Yes.
0:30:16 > 0:30:20Is there anything that would give you a signal that it's counterfeit?
0:30:20 > 0:30:25There are sometimes very subtle differences.
0:30:25 > 0:30:30Sometimes the duty stamp is present, but it doesn't fluoresce,
0:30:30 > 0:30:32and it should be a fluorescent stamp.
0:30:32 > 0:30:36Sometimes the label is slightly off centre,
0:30:36 > 0:30:41sometimes it is variable in very small other ways.
0:30:41 > 0:30:45But basically these days, the labels, the counterfeit labels, are very good.
0:30:45 > 0:30:48I suppose the problem is that again you don't know what's in it,
0:30:48 > 0:30:51so there could be some harmful substances in it
0:30:51 > 0:30:54- that you don't know about. - That's certainly true. Yes.
0:30:54 > 0:30:58In fact, we analysed a sample of gin a month or so ago
0:30:58 > 0:31:03- which turned out to be mainly methanol and would actually... - Which is...
0:31:03 > 0:31:08- Which is very poisonous indeed, and which actually killed a young woman that drank it.- Really?
0:31:08 > 0:31:14So this is the kind of thing that we can find wrong with spirits in particular.
0:31:14 > 0:31:18So some of the stuff in your naughty room is very naughty indeed.
0:31:18 > 0:31:21Yeah. Some of it can kill you, there's no doubt about it.
0:31:25 > 0:31:28Earlier in the programme we heard from viewers not surprisingly
0:31:28 > 0:31:32unhappy about the hidden ingredients the food industry uses,
0:31:32 > 0:31:35but that could cause more than just a surprise.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38Sometimes the consequences of even tiny, tiny quantities
0:31:38 > 0:31:42of unexpected things in your food can be very serious indeed.
0:31:45 > 0:31:50Busy mum of twins, Justine Bold, used to be a high-flying marketing executive,
0:31:50 > 0:31:53a role which involved its fair share of wining and dining.
0:31:53 > 0:31:56She had always been sensitive to what she ate,
0:31:56 > 0:31:59but then the situation started to become more serious.
0:32:01 > 0:32:05I had been having these episodes where I couldn't breathe.
0:32:05 > 0:32:08They would start with itching in my mouth and throat
0:32:08 > 0:32:11and it would sort of progress downwards
0:32:11 > 0:32:16and then I would actually be really struggling for breath.
0:32:17 > 0:32:21And feeling very dizzy. Sometimes I would vomit.
0:32:21 > 0:32:24But worst of all was what happened when she got home one evening
0:32:24 > 0:32:28after a Thai curry and a few glasses of wine.
0:32:28 > 0:32:32Justine thought she was going into an anaphylactic shock.
0:32:32 > 0:32:36I went to the Royal Brompton and they did a series of tests
0:32:36 > 0:32:39skin prick tests and blood tests, and the results were all negative,
0:32:39 > 0:32:42but I carried on having reactions.
0:32:42 > 0:32:45So because it was affecting my breathing they were quite worried about it.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48They decided they would do some food challenges with me,
0:32:48 > 0:32:51which is where they took me into hospital for the day
0:32:51 > 0:32:53and they would feed some of the foods to me
0:32:53 > 0:32:56that had been eaten around the time that I had a reaction,
0:32:56 > 0:33:01and it was on about the third food challenge that I reacted to some strawberry jam.
0:33:01 > 0:33:05The dietician there and the doctor looked at my food diary
0:33:05 > 0:33:08and looked at all of the ingredients in the jam
0:33:08 > 0:33:11and worked out that it was probably the sulphites.
0:33:11 > 0:33:13Sulphites. "What's that?" you might ask.
0:33:13 > 0:33:16Well, sulphites hardly register with most of us,
0:33:16 > 0:33:18but in fact we probably eat them every day.
0:33:18 > 0:33:21They're used in the production of many foods
0:33:21 > 0:33:24and almost all wine to prevent them going off.
0:33:24 > 0:33:28So look at the labels for products including crisps, marmalade,
0:33:28 > 0:33:32jam, cider and frozen prawns
0:33:32 > 0:33:37and you'll see additives such as sulphur dioxide which contain sulphites -
0:33:37 > 0:33:40harmless enough for most, but for those with an allergy,
0:33:40 > 0:33:42the reaction can be pretty nasty.
0:33:43 > 0:33:48It had a huge impact on my life because not only did I think
0:33:48 > 0:33:53I might actually have a fatal attack because I was at times going blue,
0:33:53 > 0:33:57having very low oxygen levels, very low blood pressure,
0:33:57 > 0:34:02going into a type of shock where it's quite dangerous medically.
0:34:02 > 0:34:08So, trying to deal with that when you're in your 20s is quite...
0:34:08 > 0:34:11You know, it's quite a big thing to come to terms with.
0:34:11 > 0:34:14And then I used to get quite angry and resentful.
0:34:14 > 0:34:18Above a certain level, the law requires that producers of
0:34:18 > 0:34:23processed foods have to label their products as containing sulphites.
0:34:23 > 0:34:26The problem can be the allergy sufferers like Justine may
0:34:26 > 0:34:30react to levels of whatever they're allergic to that are so tiny
0:34:30 > 0:34:34they would be below the amount that would even trigger the need to label.
0:34:34 > 0:34:38I do remember actually going to a friend's house for supper
0:34:38 > 0:34:41and going through this long list of what I couldn't eat,
0:34:41 > 0:34:44and she'd made sort of food to accommodate me,
0:34:44 > 0:34:47and she said she'd made an Eton mess for pudding,
0:34:47 > 0:34:50and I ate some of the Eton mess and I was actually very ill,
0:34:50 > 0:34:53and it turned out that she had made her Eton mess with glace cherries.
0:34:53 > 0:34:57Those had been preserved using the dreaded sulphites.
0:34:57 > 0:35:01Food is such a big, big part of our lives of the food allergy
0:35:01 > 0:35:03was just making life miserable for Justine.
0:35:03 > 0:35:07The effect of the allergy made me feel quite socially isolated
0:35:07 > 0:35:11and separated from my friends because I had to think twice
0:35:11 > 0:35:15about eating out or socialising,
0:35:15 > 0:35:18and so that had a very profound effect.
0:35:18 > 0:35:20And she's far from being alone.
0:35:20 > 0:35:26Campaign groups insist that there is a long-term rising trend of food allergies in the UK.
0:35:26 > 0:35:29Allergies are increasing enormously
0:35:29 > 0:35:32and have been doing for the last 30, 40 years.
0:35:32 > 0:35:37And the increase escalates with each decade,
0:35:37 > 0:35:44and at the moment particularly, food allergy in children is very worrying
0:35:44 > 0:35:47because it's really rising dramatically.
0:35:47 > 0:35:51The biggest problems occur when unexpected things turn up in your food
0:35:51 > 0:35:54which can mean allergy sufferers have no idea
0:35:54 > 0:35:58that they're eating an ingredient that can do serious harm to them.
0:35:58 > 0:36:01Dr Isabel Skypala runs the food allergy clinic
0:36:01 > 0:36:05at the Royal Brompton Hospital where Justine was treated.
0:36:05 > 0:36:09She has seen just how extreme reactions to hidden foodstuffs can be.
0:36:09 > 0:36:12There's a whole spectrum of reactions.
0:36:12 > 0:36:14Some people just get itching in their mouth,
0:36:14 > 0:36:17which is a very common reaction in adults,
0:36:17 > 0:36:21right the way through, really,
0:36:21 > 0:36:24to people having to be hospitalised,
0:36:24 > 0:36:27having breathing difficulties and fainting,
0:36:27 > 0:36:30and not being able to swallow.
0:36:31 > 0:36:35And obviously, ultimately, anaphylaxis can result in death,
0:36:35 > 0:36:37so they can be very severe.
0:36:37 > 0:36:41On the labelling front, though, there is hope that the situation
0:36:41 > 0:36:47is set to get a lot clearer in the near future with an increase in the number of ingredients
0:36:47 > 0:36:50that manufacturers must highlight on the label.
0:36:50 > 0:36:58By December 2014, regulation will come into effect that states
0:36:58 > 0:37:03that manufacturers have to include in the main list of ingredients
0:37:03 > 0:37:08any of the 14 named allergens in bold writing.
0:37:08 > 0:37:12Now, although that's good news, it doesn't solve the problem when you are eating out,
0:37:12 > 0:37:16which can be one of the trickiest things for allergy sufferers,
0:37:16 > 0:37:21who sometimes end up taking their chances with menus that contain very scant information.
0:37:21 > 0:37:24As, indeed, Justine found out.
0:37:24 > 0:37:28I have a rule in my own life which is, if there is any doubt,
0:37:28 > 0:37:30then I don't eat it.
0:37:30 > 0:37:33There are obviously issues of cross contamination.
0:37:33 > 0:37:36I'd like to see clearer labelling of restaurant...
0:37:36 > 0:37:38Allergy labelling of restaurant food.
0:37:38 > 0:37:41But here, too, there is progress.
0:37:41 > 0:37:45After December '14, restaurants, hotels,
0:37:45 > 0:37:52caterers will be required to state what allergens are in their food,
0:37:52 > 0:37:58and to provide the facility for people to be able to talk to the chef
0:37:58 > 0:38:04or to somebody who is in the know about what is in that food.
0:38:04 > 0:38:06That's a definite improvement.
0:38:06 > 0:38:11However, for Justine, there's one more thing that would make life a whole lot easier,
0:38:11 > 0:38:15and that's if manufacturers used fewer allergy triggering ingredients
0:38:15 > 0:38:18in their products in the first place.
0:38:18 > 0:38:23I think they could be more mindful of the list of allergenic foods
0:38:23 > 0:38:26and what they put them in.
0:38:26 > 0:38:29And don't put them in if they're not absolutely necessary.
0:38:35 > 0:38:37Now, here's the question -
0:38:37 > 0:38:41how do some of our favourite brands keep us coming back for more?
0:38:41 > 0:38:44PR and marketing expert Jonathan Gabay has been
0:38:44 > 0:38:46working in the advertising industry for 30 years,
0:38:46 > 0:38:50so he knows a few of the clever ways that manufacturers can make
0:38:50 > 0:38:53those trusted varieties still seem very fresh.
0:38:54 > 0:38:57As consumers, we sometimes get a bit bored.
0:38:57 > 0:39:00In fact, we're quite fickle wind comes to brands.
0:39:00 > 0:39:02That's why brands, what they do,
0:39:02 > 0:39:07is occasionally they zhoosh up their current offering by improving the taste,
0:39:07 > 0:39:09or something along that kind of lines.
0:39:09 > 0:39:12So what happens is you go, see the packaging,
0:39:12 > 0:39:14and think to yourself - "Ah, I trust that brand,
0:39:14 > 0:39:17"and look at this - it's even better, it's even tastier.
0:39:17 > 0:39:20"I think I'll have some."
0:39:20 > 0:39:23Brands know that they only have your attention for a very short
0:39:23 > 0:39:27space of time, so in that few seconds they need to convince you
0:39:27 > 0:39:31that their product isn't just the one you want, but the best.
0:39:33 > 0:39:34Greatest taste ever!
0:39:34 > 0:39:38Whoa! I'm exaggerating. Or am I exaggerating?
0:39:38 > 0:39:40What is the best taste ever?
0:39:40 > 0:39:46Well, unless I can substantiate what I'm saying in terms of best taste ever,
0:39:46 > 0:39:48I've got to shut up.
0:39:48 > 0:39:51The laws around advertising standards mean that brands
0:39:51 > 0:39:54have to be able to back up those bold claims.
0:39:54 > 0:39:58Look at this. I spotted this packaging this morning.
0:39:58 > 0:40:00It says here, "No. 1 for taste." Fair enough.
0:40:00 > 0:40:04Have they substantiated it? Answer - yes.
0:40:04 > 0:40:09It says here "based on a survey of 721 cereal consumers."
0:40:09 > 0:40:13So in this case, I think it would be more than reasonable to say,
0:40:13 > 0:40:16yes, they've substantiated that they are number one.
0:40:18 > 0:40:23But other phrases that brands use to whet your appetite can be less easy to quantify.
0:40:23 > 0:40:26For example, "authentically British."
0:40:26 > 0:40:28What is authentically British?
0:40:28 > 0:40:34Now, a brand could produce a product that says it is authentically,
0:40:34 > 0:40:36in fact, even quintessentially British,
0:40:36 > 0:40:41but it's not actually produced in Great Britain, so then what?
0:40:41 > 0:40:46They could argue that it is still quintessentially British
0:40:46 > 0:40:47because of its heritage.
0:40:47 > 0:40:50If you're still confused, we have some very helpful tips to
0:40:50 > 0:40:53help you unravel the labels on our website.
0:41:01 > 0:41:04Here at Rip-Off Britain, we are always ready to investigate
0:41:04 > 0:41:08more of your stories, and not just about food.
0:41:09 > 0:41:14Confused over your bills or just trying to wade through never-ending small print?
0:41:14 > 0:41:19Why is it in small print if they want you to read it, you know?
0:41:19 > 0:41:22Maybe you are unsure about what to do when you discover that
0:41:22 > 0:41:26you've lost out, and that great deal has actually ended up costing you money.
0:41:26 > 0:41:30All my money is very hard-earned, so when I go to spend it,
0:41:30 > 0:41:32I expect value for money.
0:41:32 > 0:41:34Or you might have a cautionary tale of your own
0:41:34 > 0:41:38and might want to share the mistakes that you've made with us.
0:41:38 > 0:41:45You can write to us at:
0:41:48 > 0:41:52Or send us an e-mail to:
0:41:52 > 0:41:57The Rip-Off team is ready and waiting to investigate your stories.
0:42:00 > 0:42:03So it seems that when it comes to food, you don't necessarily
0:42:03 > 0:42:06get what it says on the tin, or when the tin does say it,
0:42:06 > 0:42:09it might be in very tiny, tiny writing, which is why
0:42:09 > 0:42:14any greater clarity on the label as to what exactly you are getting has got to be good news.
0:42:14 > 0:42:16Absolutely, and not least because when you are out shopping
0:42:16 > 0:42:21there just aren't enough hours in the day, are there, to stop and check every tiny little detail.
0:42:21 > 0:42:23You just want to be able to have a quick glance
0:42:23 > 0:42:27and then be confident that you really are getting what you think you are,
0:42:27 > 0:42:29with no hidden extras or nasty surprises later on.
0:42:29 > 0:42:32- You just want to trust it, don't you, really?- Exactly.
0:42:32 > 0:42:35Well, I hope you will keep sending us examples of food labels
0:42:35 > 0:42:37that you think are unclear or even misleading.
0:42:37 > 0:42:40You've been very good at that and we appreciate it.
0:42:40 > 0:42:42And in the meantime do bear in mind that the packaging
0:42:42 > 0:42:47and even the name may be creating an expectation that the reality simply doesn't match up to.
0:42:47 > 0:42:50Well, that's where we have to leave it for today.
0:42:50 > 0:42:53We'll be back looking into more secrets of the food business very, very soon.
0:42:53 > 0:42:58- But until then...- Keep reading the labels!- Remember your glasses! From all of us, bye-bye.- Bye-bye.