Food labeling in Hong Kong hard to digest

The Consumer Council’s recent survey on prepackaged food sold in Hong Kong has revealed various legibility issues on most labeling, with close to 90 percent of samples they surveyed found with tiny font sizes - a size non-compliance to authorities’ guidelines.  

The consumer watchdog said amongst the 55 surveyed samples, only 7 had font size that complied with the recommended height listed in the Centre for Food Safety’s Trade Guidelines on Preparation of Legible Food Label.  

The remaining 48 samples were found with tiny English letters or Chinese characters smaller than recommended, the watchdog said.  

Of the samples failing to meet the guidelines’ recommended font height, the watchdog noted that one instant noodle sample’s smallest English and Chinese font heights on its label were only 0.5mm and 1.0mm, respectively, a rather large discrepancy with the guidelines’ requirement. 

It added that the samples’ font size was so small that even individuals with normal eyesight might require a magnifying glass to clearly read it.  

Separately, the Council had set up a focus group of 15 citizens to assess the legibility of the labeling information of the 55 samples from a consumer’s perspective.  

According to the results of the assessments, all but one sample had room for improvement in different areas of legibility as opined by the group members.  

Twenty samples were rated as poor print quality, blurry, blotched or faded text, while 16 samples were rated as having insufficient spacing between the lines of text, or having overly dense fonts, which affected the legibility.   

The Consumer Council stressed that it is a fundamental consumer right to receive accurate product information, while traders have the responsibility to provide clear food label information to allow consumers to make informed choices.  

“The Council urges the food industry to promptly review the legibility of food labels. When designing food labels, traders should be mindful of their legibility and be more considerate of consumers, especially senior citizens with poorer vision and individuals concerned about health-related information.  

“Food labels with larger fonts and clear printing should be provided as far as practicable, so as to help consumers receive relevant product information,” it said.