Food industry must tap consumer needs, says CIAA
congress in Brussels will be firmly focused on meeting consumers
needs.
The theme of the CIAAs conference, Food for Life, meeting consumers needs, reflects growing recognition within the industry that a better understanding of the specific needs and demands of consumers must be met if trust and loyalty are to be achieved.
Food scares, along with growing concern over the healthiness of packaged food, has established a degree of distrust among some sections of the population. Successful food firms will be those that produce brands that are trusted, and that listen to what consumers really want.
The conference will therefore cover issues such as food and health, in relation to food safety and food security, and will assess some of the solutions being provided by the industry. It will also examine the commitments and responsibilities of the CIAA.
The event, which runs from the 26 to 27 October, will take place at the Hilton Hotel and will feature 350 delegates from the food and drink industry, public institutions, consumer organisations, science and press, both from Europe and beyond.
The congress will begin with a welcome speech by CIAA president Jean Martin. The congress will then be articulated in three parallel sessions, during which, WHO,EFSA, DG Sanco and other Commission departments, consumer and industry representatives will address key issues covering topics such as obesity, consumer behaviour in relation to health and nutrition.
The EU approach to consumer needs and demands , food science and technology developments in support of consumer well-being will also be explored.
During the second day, high-level representatives from the European Commission, European Parliament, Finnish EU Presidency, consumer organisations and industry willapproach the theme of Diet, physical activity and health: global challenge, local solutions. These are issues that the food industry is of course well aware of. Any food firm not taking into account current consumer demands, especially in relation to health, will find itself out of business pretty soon.
But perhaps what the CIAA meeting offers is the chance to take stock of the situation and see where the industry is going right, and where it is going wrong. Such is the pace of change and the ferocity of the competition that there is often little to reflect.
CIAA is the voice of the European food and drink industry, the largest manufacturing sector in the EU. CIAAs mission is to represent the food and drink industries interests, at the level of European and international institutions.
CIAA membership is made up of 24 national federations, including 2 observers, 32 European sector associations and 22 major food and drink companies.
