The European Parliament on Wednesday approved a draft proposal designed to fight rising levels of obesity in Europe. Under the proposed rules, advertising of foodstuffs that exceed specific amounts of salt, sugar and fat would be strictly limited, and food companies would have to list the calories, fat and salt content on the front of packages.

But Italians claim the stark labelling will frighten consumers and deter them from buying Nutella and other sweet snacks.

Giancarlo Galan, Italy’s agriculture and food minister, dismissed the proposal as “nonsense” and wrote a tough-worded letter to Brussels asking for a softer approach.

“Sometimes, the strict application of rules … reveals their stupidity,” he told reporters.