Submitted by Thomas Pröller, meat-n-more on , Published in Law
New to schedule and adverse events
Actually, should for a year only scientifically tested and approved health claims (health claims) are on food packaging. It called for the schedule of European Claims Regulation. This piece of legislation is to protect consumers from dubious health advertising on food, which was the intention of the legislator. However, the scientific evaluation of health claims turned out to be a Herculean task for the European Food Safety Authority, EFSA. A Kassensturz nutritional science as it were with the question: Which nutrients can prove what health effects scientifically?
Submitted by Thomas Pröller, meat-n-more on , Published in Law
Controversial from the 23. Lebensmittelrechtstag
Consumer advocates came this year in the food Rights Day in Wiesbaden gone bad. but they were not the only ones. Professor Dr. Klaus Kocks from the CATO firm for Communication Consulting GmbH, Horbach, shared his rhetorical ground criticism in all directions. The consumer advocates - and he did not take the official consumer protection from - would take over the role of head teacher. "They help with eating and drinking, because they assume that consumers are overwhelmed with it." Behind it stands a more or less skilful withdrawal of consent, an ideological forced adoption. "The consumer is meant as infantile idiot," said Kocks.
Another mechanism for incapacitation of the citizens are conspiracy theories. Advertising, for example, have in the representation of consumer advocates secret effects, beyond the empirical evidence. So adults would itself controlled by advertising and thus to proteges of consumer advocates. The turn claim the role of Christopher and exorcists, the representative of moral values for themselves. The food industry, however, play the useful idiots for consumer protection. "The industry will have to learn the legitimacy of consumer advocates to question," said the communications consultant. But this will need of serious own consumer protection strategies. Only when consumer protection is a key part of the corporate philosophy, the industry could make the consumer advocates dispute the legitimacy, said Kocks. To that extent the consumer protection would be an important guiding role for industrial development. But industry associations would be required in this regard. It was a poor performance when organizations are not in a position to sanction weak behavior of member companies and to reward good. The offer attack surface, both for consumer protection and for the media.
Submitted by Thomas Pröller, meat-n-more on , Published in Law
An old lawyer-quip recommended to consult the text of the law in cases of doubt. In the discussion about the so-called NDR adhesive meat has always has always been the question of the guiding principles and their fulfillment subject. The Guidelines are by definition not law but a kind of expert opinion to foods. Below are excerpts of the Guidelines for meat and meat products according to the state from the 4. 2. 2010. The full text can be found [here].
Compared to this text, we have made a slight adjustment to the new German spelling, which should really be mandatory for official texts.
Submitted by Thomas Pröller, meat-n-more on , Published in Law
Two BfR studies on the use of terms in risk communication
Does it make a difference whether a substance pose a risk or a danger? For scientists who assess risks in the field of consumer health protection, this distinction is of great importance for social actors that use these reviews, it has no bearing. This is one of the results of two studies of the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR). Within the project "Evaluation of communication about the differences between, risk 'and, hazard'" the current risk communication BfR was examined on how experts and lay people with these two concepts deal in practice. For the project "Communication of risk and hazard" experts were consulted from business, environmental and consumer organizations and authorities, as they use the terms. The results of both studies are now available. "The study results provide important insights for risk communication," says Professor Dr. Dr. Andreas Hensel, President of BfR. "You must also focus even more closely linguistically to their target audiences."
When it comes to the risk communication between public authorities, business, NGOs and the public to misunderstandings, a cause could in the different use of the terms "risk" and "danger" and "hazard" are. Of this, from the two studies, which were conducted on behalf of the BfR at Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and the Institute for Ecological Economy Research gGmbH in cooperation with the Dialogik gGmbH. The evaluation of risk communication BfR and its further development were the focus of investigations.
Submitted by Thomas Pröller, meat-n-more on , Published in Law
EU wants to protect consumers - and leaves them in the dark
After analog cheese, ham and form "shrimp" from fish remains the call is reactivated for more consumer protection. Outraged consumers demand better education and protection against dubious tricks of the food industry. But in some areas, the EU strives for a long time to stand aside and their citizens to prevent dubious marketing strategies: For health claims on packaging there will soon be a Europe-wide positive list - all other statements are prohibited. Whether this strict regulation is, however, benefit consumers, remains questionable.
Hardly any other industry has currently so strong fight against their "bad boy" image as the food industry: Association spokesman regularly on talk shows and panel discussions whipping boy, the anger of consumers always discharges to manufacturers who want to market seemingly cheapest goods at great expense. That the issue of food often leads to very emotional debates, is obvious. Not only that, no one wants to eat low-quality products with a certain ick factor: Food makes today for far more than saturation and enjoyment. Eating should give the necessary strength for a busy life, eat to keep fit and healthy. Food is lifestyle, wellness, often a status symbol. At least, the advertising industry has for years communicated to consumers, thus giving them a good life. "Delicious and healthy" are often the criteria by which the customer's choice of goods at the supermarket - with the comforting faith to do his body any good.
Submitted by Thomas Pröller, meat-n-more on , Published in Law
Guide provides information on Equipment and Product Safety Act
In the new year for a rude awakening often follows the good Christmas sales: Selling products have unforeseen defects and numerous complaints claims come up to the dealer or manufacturer. SMBs then are particularly affected when they learn that they are liable as "distributors" - unhängig of whether they have developed the products themselves or produced. To prevent related claims and problems, it applies the
Knowing Equipment and Product Safety Act and its impact within the legislation of the European Economic Area and apply.
