Food News

Marketing standards are rules describing the quality of products that are marketed to consumers. For agricultural products e.g. fruit and vegetables they define uniform trade characteristics with respect to freshness or size classification, presentation, labelling, packaging etc.

All consumers in Europe shall have the same expectation and understanding about important terms and descriptions, e.g. what is meant when a poultry product is marketed with the note “free range”. The “Farm to Fork Strategy” envisages a revision of marketing standards for agricultural products until 2022 which will include sustainability, animal welfare, harmonisation of front-of pack labelling and geographical origin indication, reduction of food waste and prevention of food fraud. The revision became desirable as consumer expectations and preferences change over decades. Also new production technologies arise, that have to be clearly described and regulated (e.g. food 3-D printing).
Currently, marketing standards are scattered over different legal instruments. The EU initiative is at the beginning and asks stakeholders to provide feedback and ideas.

YOUR PLUS: AGROLAB Food labs do not only analyse raw materials and food products for their nutritional value, correct labelling, safety and authenticity issues, but also check the compliance with the current marketing standards, e.g. in fruit and vegetable business the trade classification.

Link: http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/index_en 

Author: Dr. Frank Mörsberger