ACCLAIM

ACCLAIM is a Nordic project financed by the Nordic Innovation Centre. Researchers have surveyed consumer acceptance and trust of health claims. This is intended to provide recommendations for the use of health claims in the marketing of food. Research institutes, authorities and the industry are all participating in the project. Norwegian representatives of the authorities, voluntary organisations, retail chains, industry and research recently gathered at a workshop at Matforsk to discuss the results. This will hopefully go on to provide useful input about what the industry must take into account when products are to be marketed, whilst at the same time giving the authorities an understanding of how they must think in order to ensure that consumers comprehend what is stated, so that possible misunderstanding does not lead to an unfortunate situation. The EU regulation on health claims declares that the average consumer must be expected to understand the beneficial health effects which the health claim refers to.