The future of the industry’s generic promotional campaign Eat in Colour (EiC) has come under the spotlight this week (p4), with calls from the Fresh Produce Consortium for increased funding and financial support from its members, so that the scheme can extend beyond its scheduled conclusion this autumn.

As companies assess their budgets in the current climate, there is a danger that expenditure on promotional and PR activities is one of the first elements to be struck off the list.

But cutting back on promotion could be a foolhardy measure in this economic environment. When the going gets tough, it becomes even more imperative to make sure that the unique selling points of your product or industry stand out against the competition.

The efforts of EiC are crucial in ensuring that fresh produce makes its voice heard against other food industries, which as a general rule tend to have much larger advertising and promotional budgets at their fingertips. Otherwise, fresh fruit and vegetables risk losing market share to frozen, canned or dried goods.

This week, English Apples & Pears (p5) and Florette (p6) have embarked on new promotions. Hopefully, EiC will also drum up the necessary support to ensure it maintains a permanent presence as the campaign for the industry.