The wholesale industry has called for a new food standards mark to adorn its produce to combat the flood of labels regarding ethics and sourcing employed by the major retailers.
Wholesalers at the World Union of Wholesale Markets (WUWM) conference last week said the industry should look to harness the success of the number of standards marks, such as Marks & Spencer’s Field to Fork and Tesco’s Nurture stamps, used by supermarkets.
It is hoped the mark would be employed by wholesalers as an indication of quality and freshness to consumers shopping in smaller, independent retailers.
The idea was mooted by Edward Seidler, senior officer at the United Nations (UN) Food & Agriculture Organisation in Rome, in a speech to delegates.
Seidler expressed concern at the number of standards marks that currently exist and the potential differences between the new Global Marketing Standards, set to take effect on July 1, and the UN-Economics Commission for Europe rules in the US.
Currently the main areas of regulation in the fresh produce industry are the environment; food safety; maximum residue limits in terms of pesticides; fair competition; and abuse of market power, which Seidler believes could all be simplified and used to the benefit of the wholesale industry.
“There is now a myriad of regulations and there is a dualism that should be eliminated. What we have seen is a desertion of food standard responsibilities from the public sector to the private sector and perhaps governments and the public sector should step in and be decisive,” Seidler said.
He told freshinfo: “A wholesale market brand could serve as a stamp to denote safe, quality products and give a fresh image. It could be both [targeted at] wholesale customers and then reach the small and larger independent retailers. Each market could have its own mark and it would really promote the image to the public.
“Obviously it would need inspectors and in some Italian markets they have their own on-site labs to test product, which could be used.
“The current situation with the retailers costs money for the grower [to obtain] each certification and you have to ask whether supplying different outlets with different regulations is value for money and whether harmonisation of standards and benchmarking would be a better option.”
Tomas Garcia, head of unit at the European Commission (EC) Directorate-General for agriculture, doubted the major retailers would ever reduce their quality marks. He said: “Behind each private scheme is a business and market competition. I don’t think the EC can ever fully replace this, as retailers will always come up with something on a marketing front.
Andreas Foidl, md of Berlin Wholesale Market, told freshinfo: “The idea of a wholesale mark is a good one as it is something usually employed by the retailers and would give wholesale an extra edge to market directly to customers. We have seen in Germany when we have tried this that sales in small retailers and street markets have increased, as has turnover.
“It is something which you have to look at with the businesses you serve but marketing yourselves as ‘special partners’ and the place to acquire quality produce can only help our profile.”
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