Consumers are keen to pick sustainable food products even if they cost more, but are deterred by a lack of trust in the labels meant to mark food as green, according to a leading European Commission official for justice and consumers. Food labelling has become a hot topic in recent months, ahead of a contentious Commission proposal on front-of-pack food labelling, expected this spring. The EU executive is also expected to table plans for a ‘substantiating green claims initiative’ in March, which is set to impose penalties on companies making unsubstantiated environmental claims about their products, according to a draft seen by EURACTIV. “There are lots of good companies, good farmers and good individuals that try to promote sustainable products, but we want to make sure that those who are really doing the job and going green are rewarded and that consumers are not misled by greenwashing,” Nils Behrndt, Deputy Director-General at the Commission’s justice and consumers department, said.