Ongoing Italy-UK salami conflict has been finally put to an end, after months of battling with the labeling the United Kingdom uses for some Italian food products. The European Commission put Italians at ease during the Italy-UK salami ongoing conflict, stating that the British labeling system was overly simplistic.
After months of deliberation, the European Commission finally took the side of the Mediterranean country's government in the Italy-UK salami conflict. The background of the issue was that the United Kingdom sports obesity labels toward many of Italy's top products, such as salami, cheeses and prosciutto, says New York Magazine.
The British system, called "traffic light," gives different colors to food types depending on their degree of fat. The system is part of the country's fight towards ending growing obesity within its borders, with a system that easily shows consumers what foods are healthier and which have a higher risk of being fattening.
The Italy-UK salami battle ensued after the Mediterranean country opposed the system, as it was hurtful to many of its most famous exportation products such as cheeses, salamis and prosciuttos. Of course, British consumers' realization of the fat within some of these products would lead to Italy's trade with the country to drop significantly.
While the Italy-UK salami battle was the most famous of the bunch, other Mediterranean countries also opposed the British health measure, according to the United Kingdom's Daily Mail, as other products such as olive oil and Nutella would also be damaged by the system. Infraction proceedings against Britain were started last February and finished just last week, taking the side of the foods in the European zone. Brussels agents stated that the system "discourages certain purchases, penalizes industry and distorts the functioning of the internal market" of the European trade zone.
For Britain, the obesity epidemic is a growing health concern, as 6 out of 10 adults and 1 in every 3 children are reported to suffer from this condition.
