EU laws may force retailers and suppliers to scrap the use of Guideline Daily Amount labels - throwing plans for a universal front-of-pack labelling system into disarray.

A new consultation over the government’s plan for front-of-pack labelling, launched by the BRC this week, revealed that Euro labelling bosses were demanding companies ditch GDAs, which have been in use for almost 10 years, and switch to the term ‘Reference Intake’.

Although it means the same as GDA, industry leaders warned that the development, which follows months of negotiations over the universal model for front-of-pack labelling, risked further confusing shoppers, and undermining the Department of Health’s bid to introduce consistency.

The BRC has given suppliers and retailers until the end of this month to give their views on its front-of-pack labelling model, which was intended to be a combination of colour-coding and GDAs but has now been redrafted using the new wording.

It said the EU’s rulings on the provision of food information to consumers required the change to the GDA system, which is now used by nearly 100 suppliers and retailers, accounting for 50% of all UK retail food and drink.

“GDAs have been in place for the best part of 10 years and have become widely recognised by consumers,” said one leading supplier. “There is a risk that having to get used to entirely new working will cause confusion.”

The use of the words ‘Guideline Daily Amount’ has become a key talking point in discussions hosted by the DH, which is due to recommend the final make-up of the model in the spring.

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