EU food labelling law spotlights strength of industry lobbying

Next month one of the most ferociously contested EU laws in Brussels’ history is expected to be given the final nod by member states.

The quest to change food labelling rules so that consumers can easily tell whether a product is healthy provoked a bitter three-year battle between food companies, health campaigners and legislators.

The resulting law, agreed by the European Parliament in July, is largely seen as a win for industry which pulled out all the stops in its bid to shap...