Clear information required for food

Consumer advocates demand clear information on food

22/04/2012

The confusing claims, advertising promises and labels on the packaging of food products mean that consumers are increasingly focusing on price rather than quality. This is the result of the study presented on Wednesday by the Association of Consumer Organizations „Trends in food marketing“.

Although customers are increasingly interested in the quality of their food, the current study suggests that there is an increased risk that price, not quality, will be the key buying criterion. The reason for this is the confusing information on the packaging and the jumble of seals and quality marks, which scare the consumer. „If praised quality features do not function as a guide, the price becomes the only relevant feature for the purchase decision“, the message of the Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband (vzbv).

In the food market, something goes fundamentally wrong
Because the consumer promises, seals and quality labels are too confusing for the consumer and do not allow food quality assessment, „the price beats the quality“, the consumer advocates criticize the current market development. Due to a lack of legal provision on information on food, customers are deprived of the opportunity to assess, compare and verify the quality of food. The board of the Federal Association of Consumer Centers, Gerd Billen, stated: „In the food market, something goes fundamentally wrong. There is often a big gap between advertising and product reality that politicians and manufacturers have to fill.“ The responsible persons are asked to create reasonable conditions for a functioning quality competition, otherwise one „ruinous price and finally quality dumping“ threaten, so the message of the vzbv. In the long term, quality producers would be forced out of the market, therefore „clear rules and standards in the interest of consumers and suppliers“, stressed Gerd Billen.

New legal requirements demanded for more truth and clarity in food
The study, commissioned by the Bundesverband der Verbraucherzentralen, is being prepared „Trends in food marketing“ shows that consumers actually have a growing interest in high quality standards as well as biologically and regionally produced foods. But given the confusing information on the packaging, many seem overwhelmed and therefore resort to the most cost-effective product. Here the consumer advocates see a market failure, which should be remedied immediately. They therefore demanded more truth from the manufacturers and more stringent regulations from the legislator for more clarity. Also should more „reliable labels“, how the state German bio-seal or the far-reaching bio-seal of certain federations, as guidance for the consumers are introduced, demanded the vzbv. Furthermore, consumer interests should generally be given a higher weight and the future customers should be asked before introducing food products, whether the information is understandable in order to avoid confusion or misleading statements, the position of the Federal Association of consumer advice centers. (Fp)

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