Stigmatising tastes and ‘dual food quality’ is mere populism

CONTACT:
Frederik Roeder
Managing Director
Consumer Choice Center
fred@consumerchoicecenter.org

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM – The EU Commission today published an action package to tackle the alleged problem of so-called “dual food quality”. Commissioner Věra Jourová promised not only over 2 million Euros to develop a methodology and subsidies for Member States, but also guidance for national authorities.

Jourova and Juncker are going deep down the populist rabbit hole which questionable politicians such as Robert Fico and Victor Orban dug for them. Instead of acknowledging that consumers’ preferences are different among member states, Jourova is driven by upcoming elections in her home country of Czechia and wants to ‘deliver’ something at the expense of consumer choice and free enterprise.

Fred Roeder, Managing Director of the Consumer Choice Center, stresses, “No one forces consumers to purchase any particular brand. They are free to pivot to other products if they aren’t happy with the taste or consistency of some offered brands in their country. Given that this doesn’t happen much, it shows that food producers apparently hit the local median taste with their regionalised strategy of ingredients. Calling for mandatory harmonization of the taste of products all across the EU neglect the reality of a diverse union”.

“Stigmatising different tastes and consistency of food products to an East-West conflict is mere populism. There are also massive differences in taste, consistency, and color among fairly homogenous groups of countries. This is driven by consumer preferences and choice,” he added.

CCC Managing Director is available to speak with accredited media about food quality regulations and consumer choice issues. Please send media inquiries HERE.

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The CCC represents consumers in over 100 countries across the globe. We closely monitor regulatory trends in Ottawa, Washington, Brussels, Geneva and other hotspots of regulation, and inform and activate consumers to fight for #ConsumerChoice. Learn more at consumerchoicecenter.org.