Labels on packaging too small? "Glasses may be too weak"

The author of the petition addressed to the Sejm asks for statutory regulation of the issue of the size of inscriptions on individual product packaging . He points out that this scope is partially regulated by the regulation of the Minister of Economy on detailed requirements for the marking of packaged goods, however, in his opinion it would be worthwhile to expand the scope of application of this act (and raise it to a higher rank - from a regulation to an act).

- Firstly, the regulation rather only regulates the size of the inscription specifying the mass/quantity. It would be good to enforce the size of all inscriptions - about the composition, allergens, method of preparation, etc. Often the letters are so small that they are completely illegible, but for example the composition is given in several (dozen) languages ​​- we read in the petition.

Secondly, as the author notes, letters of 2 mm height (defined as the minimum) are still too legible.

- Perhaps associations of the visually impaired could specify the minimum size of the letters (e.g. assuming that they should be legible for people with +/- 0.5 dioptres and low astigmatism, without corrective lenses - as eyesight has "worse and better days", and sometimes ordinary glasses, fitted by an optician, may turn out to be too weak) - argues the applicant.

The MPs were to consider this petition on Wednesday, but the opinion of the Office of Expertise and Regulatory Impact Assessment is rather negative. Legislators decided that the postulate does not merit consideration, because the applicable requirements in this area comprehensively refer to the regulation of markings on packaging or labels of individual types of products - EU regulations, acts and implementing acts specifying the requirements for marking specific products apply here.

- The request to regulate the issue of the size of inscriptions on unit packaging in a legal act with the rank of an act does not seem to be justified, because an act is a normative act containing general and abstract standards, which are specified in detail in an implementing act, i.e. a regulation - indicated the expert office.

- In the event of any reservations regarding the minimum size of inscriptions on packaging, which is specified in Annex No. 2 to the Regulation on detailed requirements for the marking of packaged goods, it should be considered that the petition should be forwarded to the Minister of Economy - added the parliamentary experts.

Their opinion, however, does not determine the decision of the members of parliament from the parliamentary Committee for Petitions. They considered it justified to forward the petition to the Consumer Rights Ombudsman and to the Ministry of Development and Technology.

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