health claims: reality for consumers slovene …...health claims reality for consumers what do...

Health claims: reality for consumers

Slovene Consumer‘s Association - ZPSSlovene Consumer‘s Association - ZPS

marjana.peterman@zps.si

Health claimsHealth claims

reality for consumers what do consumers perceive as a health

claim; can it be misleading and what nutritional profiling needs a

consumer

ZPSZPSWho are we?Who are we?

NGO , indepedent and autonomous

founded by members in 1990 Aim: protection of consumer

interests and rights Founder of the consumer

magazine VIP (in 1991)

ZPSZPS mmainain activities activities

Consumer advice and information

AdvocacyLegal aidConsumer education International co-operation

• International Consumer Research Institute International Consumer Research Institute (ICORI) - 1993(ICORI) - 1993

• Consumer International (CI) - 1991Consumer International (CI) - 1991• The European Consumer's Organisation (BEUC)The European Consumer's Organisation (BEUC)

ZPS national activitiesZPS national activities

Consumer comparative product quality and safety testing Provide information, educate through: VIP magazine , web

page Coverage in other media Maintain links with authorities and gov’t Maintain links with the testing labs Raising awareness in business Raising consumer awareness on product quality and safety –

empower a choice

ZPS Links to international activitiesZPS Links to international activities

www.beuc.org

www.consumerinternational.org

Our work and activities are chartered by

UN eight consumer rights

average consumer does not exist average consumer does not exist /it is not a statistical test //it is not a statistical test /

Buys a product or service forBuys a product or service for own use, not for sale own use, not for sale Child, parentChild, parent Young, adultYoung, adult Professional, HousewifeProfessional, Housewife Healthy, sick ...Healthy, sick ... Vulnerable groups???Vulnerable groups???

Who is a consumer?Who is a consumer?

the consumer and marketplace –

diverse and complex makes a prudent and judicious as well as makes a prudent and judicious as well as

informed choice within a market processinformed choice within a market process

is conscious and aware of all consequences is conscious and aware of all consequences of his/hers decisionsof his/hers decisions

while all other market players perfom and while all other market players perfom and or behave in the same manneror behave in the same manner

the consumerthe consumer and marketplace – and marketplace – diverse and complexdiverse and complex

this hypothesis is flawed: since well informed, this hypothesis is flawed: since well informed, educated and empowered consumer which on educated and empowered consumer which on the basis of analysis of all economic and other the basis of analysis of all economic and other

values takes reasonable, judicious , values takes reasonable, judicious , comprehensive and prudent decisions, does not comprehensive and prudent decisions, does not

exist.exist.

Consumer needs Consumer needs science based science based evidence evidence properly properly communicated communicated (education, (education, information, labelling) information, labelling) and and assessed assessed (“coctail”)(“coctail”)

Consumers are confused!Consumers are confused!

What is a riskWhat is a risk

harmful, undesired product properties and/or

harmful, undesired product useage properties

Hazard can be intrinsic, extrinsic,technological , environmental and also moral

(malpractice)

What is a riskWhat is a risk

Is obesity a risk?

Consumers perceive risk differently and diversely from experts

Expert: objectively assessed, managed and communicated

Consumer: subjective - affected by beliefs, trust, human nature, social status, education...

Risk, uncertainty and consumerRisk, uncertainty and consumer

ZPS and BEUC emphasisZPS and BEUC emphasis

Risk-benefit analysis should be Risk-benefit analysis should be clearly explained to consumers clearly explained to consumersSugar, fat intake, salt intake, alergens…etc----Sugar, fat intake, salt intake, alergens…etc----

Impact on health, choice, Impact on health, choice, environment,environment,

trade and competitivenesstrade and competitiveness

Risk, uncertainty and consumerRisk, uncertainty and consumer

European consumer makes a European consumer makes a choice of foodstuffs on:choice of foodstuffs on: Quality: 42 % Quality: 42 %

Price: 40 %Price: 40 %

Taste: 31 %Taste: 31 %

Pleasure: 29 %Pleasure: 29 %

Hunger: 27 %Hunger: 27 %

Health: 19 %Health: 19 %

Food safety: 8 %Food safety: 8 %

Consumer’s choiceConsumer’s choice

European consumer’s view on European consumer’s view on riskrisk

Eurobarometer 2005/2006 on risk perception in foodEurobarometer 2005/2006 on risk perception in food

European consumer is worried:

Pesticides: 71% Veterinary residues: 68% Additives: 61% Polutants: 63%

European consumer’s view on European consumer’s view on risk and trustrisk and trust

Eurobarometer 2005/2006 on risk perception in foodEurobarometer 2005/2006 on risk perception in food

European consumer agrees 39%

disagrees 47%

that

DO public authorities in the EU view the health of consumers as being more

important than the profits of producers

European consumer’s view on European consumer’s view on risk and trustrisk and trust

Eurobarometer 2005/2006 on risk perception in foodEurobarometer 2005/2006 on risk perception in food

Prefered sources of information

Consumer groups: 32% Physicians/doctors: 32% Public authority: 30% Media: 17%

Claims in Slovenia Claims in Slovenia

Till 2004 a food item could not bear a health and or any other claim

Since then – a proliferation of

Labelling of foods bacame school curicula

in 2007/08 (elementary shool), no curicula on consumer education in other schools

Claim: it contains a lot of milkClaim: it contains a lot of milk

Very little milk Lots of sugar and fat

Claim: for kidsClaim: for kids

But not for todlers (contains aditives )

Is this clear to consumer?

NO

Claims: pytosterolsClaims: pytosterols

DG Sanco: Comm reg re: information to consumers

EFSA: scientific substanciationNot for children 5yrs (3 g/day/70kg

consumer)Not for pregnant, those on drugsDaily dosedoes not replace varied diet and exercise

Claims probioticsClaims probioticsZPS – VIP testZPS – VIP test

Claims on probiotics registered with Comm:- Taksonomic name given

- Claim registered for gut health, effect on immune system, vaginal health..etc

- On average 10 to 9 cfu/day

Claims probioticsClaims probioticsZPS – VIP testZPS – VIP test

ResultsPoor identification of probio bakteria,

taksonomy?Poor dose info to consumerPoor identification of number of bacteria

present in product

Claims probioticsClaims probioticsZPS – VIP testZPS – VIP testConsumer trust?

How to verify the claim?

Scientific substanciation gap on info to consumer

Consumer, claims and food Consumer, claims and food profile profile

10,5 g of sugar per 100g of product

Daily dose according to Danone reserch, FSA and AFSA research: 300-400g

Intake of sugar = 31-42 g per day or at least 50% of WHO recommendation!

What is a riskWhat is a risk

Is obesity a risk?

Is profile necessary for a product bearing a claim?

Kruh, žitarice, krompir

Sadje, zelenjava

Mleko, meso,

ribe, jajca

Recommendet food intake

Kruh, žitarice, krompir

Sadje, zelenjava

Mleko, meso,

ribe, jajca

Slaščice, maščoba

Živila z veliko maščobe in sladkorja

This is SERVED on th TV

Consumer profiling food?Consumer profiling food?

Easy to understand and use:

GDA or multiple color coding?

Consumer protected: legaly or voluntary?

Multople color coding for food Multople color coding for food profile - FSAprofile - FSA

Health claims: reality for consumers:

what do consumers perceive as a health claim; can it be misleading and what nutritinal profiling needs a consumer

Who is a consumer?Who is a consumer?Kennedy, 15th March 1962Kennedy, 15th March 1962

«Consumers by definition, include us all. They are the largest economic group, affecting and affected by almost every public and private economic decision. Yet they are the only important group... whose views are often not heard» John F. Kennedy, 15th March 1962

marjana.peterman@zps.si

Thank you