Trade minister Lilianne Ploumen has pledged to take action and try to ‘bring order’ to the wide number of different quality labels used in Dutch supermarkets.

There are so many different labels identifying products as environment or animal friendly that consumers cannot see the wood for the trees, according to ChristenUnie MP Joel Voordewind.

According to reseach by environmental group Milieu Centraal, there are now some 170 different labels used on products – an increase of 90 on 18 months ago.

This, said Voordewind, is not only confusing customers, but leading to doubts about how the labels are regulated and if the claims are being properly met.