The Consumer Choice Center (CCC) has revealed the names of the 25 signatories of the ‘Brands Matter’ pledge. The CCC is aiming to gain support for the cause of brand freedom in the European Parliament and get clear responses from lawmakers on this vital consumer issue.
Commenting on the pledge, Luca Bertoletti, European Affairs Manager of the Consumer Choice Center, said that one of its key objectives of ‘Brands Matter’ is to emphasise a strong link between brand freedom and innovation, and how it can help embrace entrepreneurial spirit to the benefit of consumers.
“One example is the recent emergence of local and slow food cultures and the success of craft beers which would not be possible without local branding and novel marketing techniques. Consumers benefit from innovations of local and novel brands,” said Bertoletti.
It is interesting that the report focusses some of its attention on local produce and craft beers, as these are markets that are being catered for by both corrugated and folding carton industries, often utilising digital print techniques.
“The CCC is using this pledge to raise awareness of brand freedom’s role in protecting and advancing consumer choice in the EU. Brands enhance the customer’s ability to interpret and process information, improve confidence in the purchase decision and affect the quality of the user experience. They achieve this in a variety of ways, including reducing decision-making time, providing safety, adding value to the product, or shaping local identity,” added Bertoletti.
Signatories are:
- Lara Comi, MEP (Italy, Forza Italia, vice-chair of the EPP)
- Renate Sommer, MEP (Germany, CDU/CSU)
- Patrizia Toia, MEP (Italy, Partito Democratico)
- Stefano Maullu, MEP (Italy, Fratelli d’Italia, chair of the Brands Matter Working Group)
- Salvatore Cicu, MEP (Italy, Forza Italia)
- Angelo Ciocca, MEP (Italy, Lega)
- Jiri Payne, MEP (Czech Republic, Strana svobodných občan)
- Amjad Bashir, MEP (United Kingdom, The Conservative Party)
- Fulvio Martusciello, MEP (Italy, Forza Italia)
- Daniel Dalton, MEP (United Kingdom, The Conservative Party)
- Joachim Starbatty, MEP (Germany, LKR)
- Hans-Olaf Henkel, MEP (Germany, LKR)
- Massimiliano Salini, MEP (Italy, Forza Italia)
- Paul Rübig, MEP (Austria, Österreichische Volkspartei)
- Daniel Hannan, MEP (United Kingdom, The Conservative Party)
- Nathan Gill, MEP (United Kingdom, UKIP)
- Robert Iwaskiewicz, MEP (Poland, Nowa Prawica)
- Seán Kelly, MEP (Ireland, Fine Gael)
- Raffaele Fitto, MEP (Italy, Fratelli D’Italia, vice-chair of the ECR)
- Alberto Cirio, MEP (Italy, Forza Italia)
- Christophe Hansen, MEP (EPP, Luxembourg)
- Frank Engel, MEP (EPP, Luxembourg)
- Georges Bach, MEP (EPP, Luxembourg)
- Christofer Fjellner, MEP (EPP, Sweden)
- Rays Fernando, MEP (EPP, Portugal)
The CCC and the signatories of this pledge want to put forward legislative action to protect brands in the European Union, and oppose legislation that reduces the right to freely brand products or market them through advertising. They will work hard to extend the number of parliamentarians who sign this pledge during the upcoming legislature.
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