EU bans claim that water can prevent dehydration

[emzie]

EU officials concluded that, following a three-year investigation, there was no evidence to prove the previously undisputed fact.

Producers of bottled water are now forbidden by law from making the claim and will face a two-year jail sentence if they defy the edict, which comes into force in the UK next month.

...


The Department for Health disputed the wisdom of the new law. A spokesman said: “Of course water hydrates. While we support the EU in preventing false claims about products, we need to exercise common sense as far as possible."

...

German professors Dr Andreas Hahn and Dr Moritz Hagenmeyer, who advise food manufacturers on how to advertise their products, asked the European Commission if the claim could be made on labels.

They compiled what they assumed was an uncontroversial statement in order to test new laws which allow products to claim they can reduce the risk of disease, subject to EU approval.

They applied for the right to state that “regular consumption of significant amounts of water can reduce the risk of development of dehydration” as well as preventing a decrease in performance.

However, last February, the European Food Standards Authority (EFSA) refused to approve the statement.

A meeting of 21 scientists in Parma, Italy, concluded that reduced water content in the body was a symptom of dehydration and not something that drinking water could subsequently control.

Now the EFSA verdict has been turned into an EU directive which was issued on Wednesday.

EU regulations, which aim to uphold food standards across member states, are frequently criticised.

...

“The European Commission is wrong; it should have authorised the claim. That should be more than clear to anyone who has consumed water in the past, and who has not? We fear there is something wrong in the state of Europe.”

Prof Brian Ratcliffe, spokesman for the Nutrition Society, said dehydration was usually caused by a clinical condition and that one could remain adequately hydrated without drinking water.

He said: “The EU is saying that this does not reduce the risk of dehydration and that is correct.

“This claim is trying to imply that there is something special about bottled water which is not a reasonable claim.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...claim-that-water-can-prevent-dehydration.html

I'm all in favour of strict rules about product claims, but this one really does just seem ridiculous. While I can recognize the stawman of "EU obviously bad" this really is a crazy level of bureaucracy.

 

[Dumanios]

What is this craziness that I can't comprehend?

 

[Zelig]

Other than providing specifications, people who sell stuff should not be allowed to make any claims regarding the stuff they're selling.

 

[Skwink]

In America, pizza is a vegetable, in the EU, water doesn't hydrate. What a world.

 

[The_J]

Wait, you're not anymore allowed to write on water bottles that water prevents dehydration?

reminds me off something:

 

[Traitorfish]

I wholly approve of any and all legislation that makes life that little bit harder for marketing pukes to do their job. Keep it going, lads!

 

[Terxpahseyton]

A meeting of 21 scientists in Parma, Italy, concluded that reduced water content in the body was a symptom of dehydration and not something that drinking water could subsequently control.

Now what that means? It means that dehydration may have other causes than not enough drunk water. Which is correct. It means that dehydration as an actual medical condition wouldn't be "cured" or healed by water, as that wouldn't be a medical condition in the sense of an illness but just someone not drinking enough water.
This EU decision basically means - that if you want to advertise the health effect of a product, it has to be consistently correct and not only correct in some cases. Which in principle is a good guideline.

But practically, I agree it is unwise, because it is not only perfect to discredit the EU but also unwise considering pure water is a good weapon against obesity and other common health problems. So it doesn't hurt if the marketing industries try their best to plant the idea of the healthy water into the heads of the people.

 

[Synobun]

To be honest, my mouth is dry as all hell after drinking water. I know that you need water to be healthy, but in the specific case of hydration, I'd need to look at another liquid source to achieve it. Might be different for other folks though.

 

[emzie]

Now what that means? It means that dehydration may have other causes than not enough drunk water. Which is correct. It means that dehydration as an actual medical condition wouldn't be "cured" or healed by water, as that wouldn't be a medical condition in the sense of an illness but just someone not drinking enough water.
This EU decision basically means - that if you want to advertise the health effect of a product, it has to be consistently correct and not only correct in some cases. Which in principle is a good guideline.

But practically, I agree it is unwise, because it is not only perfect to discredit the EU but also unwise considering pure water is a good weapon against obesity and other common health problems. So it doesn't hurt if the marketing industries try their best to plant the idea of the healthy water into the heads of the people.

Bottled water, and the idea that water needs to be marketed, are both crazy notions in the west.

 

[Pangur Bán]

The telegraph is notorious for its anti-EU stories. I will remain sceptical of the details for now. I also note that no-one needs bottled, commerically sold water to avoid dehydration. Tap water, or river water etc, will work just as well.

I wholly approve of any and all legislation that makes life that little bit harder for marketing pukes to do their job. Keep it going, lads!

 

[ParkCungHee]

Now our "Pizza is a vegetable" position seems reasonable, doesn't it!

 

[Maniacal]

Bottled water, and the idea that water needs to be marketed, are both crazy notions in the west.

In the west yes, however without bottled water non-locals would be screwed in many countries, such as Egypt. Trust me, even mild dysentery is not fun (also Immodium is amazing).

 

[classical_hero]

This is really a technical ruling so people can't advertise bottled water in a certain way. While it does sound very confusing, it is basically to stop certain types of advertising rather than saying that water does not benefit you.

 

[Narz]

I wholly approve of any and all legislation that makes life that little bit harder for marketing pukes to do their job. Keep it going, lads!

Hear hear.

Screw bottled water.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

Prof Brian Ratcliffe, spokesman for the Nutrition Society, said dehydration was usually caused by a clinical condition and that one could remain adequately hydrated without drinking water.

So does that mean that I can wander off into the desert without water and remain perfectly hydrated?

This is idiotic.

 

[azzaman333]

So does that mean that I can wander off into the desert without water and remain perfectly hydrated?

This is idiotic.

Bottled water is not the only source of hydration.

 

[NetGear]

So does that mean that I can wander off into the desert without water and remain perfectly hydrated?

This is idiotic.

you eat food.

 

[Verbose]

you eat food.

We could get burger adds claiming they "Prevent Starvation!" Clearly starvation is a specific effect of insufficient ingestion of enough burgers.

 

[Quintillus]

Blimely, pizza is a vegetable and water won't hydrate you. What madness has gotten into the world this week?

But seriously, I have to hand the cake to the EU on this one. At least tomatoes are a vegetable. But water not helping prevent dehydration? This seems like something you'd see in a dark book, movie, or video game poking fun at an obviously inept government. On the plus side, I did get quite a bit of laughter out of this article.

My guess: the 21 professors went to Wikipedia, read, "It [dehydration] is literally the removal of water (Ancient Greek: ὕδωρ hýdōr) from an object", and concluded that drinking water wouldn't prevent the removal of water from your body, it would just add more to it. Because clearly that's the way to interpret that article. The claim that, "Dehydration is best avoided by drinking sufficient water," is a blatant lie. Anyone with a doctorate would obviously know that it's best avoided by having a rehydrating IV hooked up to you.

Now, if the bottled water makers had wanted to say, "bottled water is the only prevention against dehydration!!11!!" as if tap water didn't work, there might actually be a problem. But this is just loony.

I loved this quote from the article, too:

Ukip MEP Paul Nuttall said the ruling made the “bendy banana law” look “positively sane”.

He said: “I had to read this four or five times before I believed it. It is a perfect example of what Brussels does best. Spend three years, with 20 separate pieces of correspondence before summoning 21 professors to Parma where they decide with great solemnity that drinking water cannot be sold as a way to combat dehydration.

Now if you'll pardon me I think I'll go drink some water so I can experience dehydration...

Wait, you're not anymore allowed to write on water bottles that water prevents dehydration?

reminds me off something:

That's a good one!

 

[GoodSarmatian]

Whenever I read something negative about the EU in a British source I think "most likely exaggerated and out of context, possibly a lie".
But after quoting people how "the euro is burning, the EU is falling apart" and how this regulation "demonstrates the folly of the great European project" the article at least has the decency to explain why this ruling was made.

Prof Brian Ratcliffe, spokesman for the Nutrition Society, said dehydration was usually caused by a clinical condition and that one could remain adequately hydrated without drinking water.

He said: “The EU is saying that this does not reduce the risk of dehydration and that is correct.

“This claim is trying to imply that there is something special about bottled water which is not a reasonable claim.”

There you have it. Water does not always prevent dehydration and you don't need to buy bottled water to stay hydrated.