Right to food information and food choice from the perspective of fundamental liberties
Nor Akhmal Hasmin1, Najwa Azizun2, Siti Marina Amit3.
The Federal Constitution is silent on protecting consumers' right to
food information and choice. The food label is a source of
information and a tool to assist consumers in making food choices.
In certain situations, information available on the product's label is
limited, restraining consumers from making well-inform food
choices, especially concerning credence food products derived from
emerging technology such as nanotechnology. Such food is also
associated with potential safety and health risks. This paper aims to
explore the right to food information and choice from the perspective
of the fundamental liberties embodied in the Federal Constitutions,
i.e., the right to life and freedom of speech and expression. It adopts
a doctrinal approach and content analysis by examining relevant
literature on consumer rights to food information, food choice, and
fundamental liberties. The finding from this paper indicates that the
right to food information and food choice is implicitly part of
fundamental liberties in the Federal Constitution. Food choice is
associated with consumers' quality of life and their expression of
religious beliefs, personal values, and identity. Therefore, consumers
must be given the right to be directly involved in labelling issues, i.e.,
to demand necessary information, which is pivotal to food choices.
Reference is made to the legal position under the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), Constitution of India and the
European Union. This article is intended for the food safety authority
and the public because, to date, awareness of constitutional rights in
Malaysia’s food information law and food labelling is still absent.
Affiliation:
- Universiti Teknologi MARA Shah Alam, Malaysia
- Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Selangor, Malaysia
- Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Selangor, Malaysia
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