european-union germany food
How can German supermarkets get away with not following the EU regulations, which have been established long ago?
<p>Since 2011, <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/food/safety/labelling_nutrition/labelling_legislation/nutrition-labelling_en" rel="nofollow noreferrer">EU regulations on food labeling</a> states require most foods label's to contain nutritional facts of the food.</p>
<p>However, as a person who has been living in Germany for a couple of months, it is quite clear to me that this regulation isn't followed in German supermarkets at all. Very few foods and drinks have their nutritional facts in their labels. Before Germany, I was living in UK, and there, everything had a label containing the nutritional facts of the food.</p>
<p>How can Germany, or German supermarket, get away with not following the EU regulations, which have been established long ago?</p>

<p>You are referring to article 9 of <a href="https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:02011R1169-20180101" rel="noreferrer">Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011</a> which contains:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Article 9 List of mandatory particulars</p>
<ol>
<li>In accordance with Articles 10 to 35 and subject to the exceptions contained in this Chapter, indication of the following particulars shall be mandatory:</li>
</ol>
<p>(...)</p>
<p>(l) a nutrition declaration.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>In a comment you clarify that you are talking about wine.</p>
<p>Article 16 of <a href="https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:02011R1169-20180101" rel="noreferrer">Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011</a> contains:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Article 16 Omission of certain mandatory particulars</p>
<p>(...)</p>
<ol start="4">
<li>Without prejudice to other Union provisions requiring a list of ingredients or a mandatory nutrition declaration, the particulars referred to in points (b) and (l) of Article 9(1) shall not be mandatory for beverages containing more than 1,2 % by volume of alcohol.</li>
</ol>
</blockquote>
<p>As wine contains typically more than 1,2 % alcohol, a nutrition declaration is not required.</p>
<p>See also <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/food/safety/labelling_nutrition/labelling_legislation/alcohol_en" rel="noreferrer">Labelling of alcoholic beverages in the EU: some facts</a>.</p>

<p>You clarified in the comments that some examples are wine.</p>
<p>According to German law implementing EU law, <a href="https://www.bzfe.de/inhalt/naehrwertkennzeichnung-1876.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">alcoholic drinks</a> are not covered by the nutrition labeling requirement. <a href="https://www.deutschlandfunknova.de/beitrag/bier-wein-schnaps-naehrwertangaben-fehlen-bisher" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Consumer groups</a> demand going beyond EU requirements in this regard, but it hasn't happened yet.</p>
