Nutrition and physical activity

from childhood to old age

The European food and drink manufacturers’

perspective and contributions

Mella FrewenDirector General

22/04/2014, Tallinn

Estonian food industry year conference

2

FoodDrinkEurope Membership

1. National Federations

(26 incl. 3 observers)

2. European Sector

Associations (25)

3. Companies (17)

Estonian food industry year conference

22/04/2014, Tallinn

Key Facts and Figures of the European food and drink industry (2012)

3

Largest

manufacturing

sector in the EU

Largest employer

in the EU

Estonian food industry year conference

22/04/2014, Tallinn

4

The context food companies are operating in…

Feeding the planet

Double burden of malnutrition

(even in Europe)

Scarcer resources

Economic downturn

Increasing mobility, fast-

moving societies

Alarming (youth)

unemployment levels

Ageing population

Sedentary

lifestyles and

less physical

activity

Estonian food industry year conference

22/04/2014, Tallinn

5

Industry’s role in improving public health

The food & drink industry has an important role to play in contributing to

improving public health from childhood to old age

A multi-factoral issue requiring action by a wide variety of different stakeholders

Action is undertaken at various levels:

- Global: e.g. Consumer Goods Forum (CGF), International Food and Beverage Alliance

(IFBA)

- European: EU Platform for Action on Diet, Physical Activity and Health (DPAH)

- National: Stakeholder platforms and public-private partnership agreements (e.g. UK

Responsibility Deal, Spanish NAOS Strategy, etc.)

- Local: Community-based public-private partnerships (e.g. EPODE in France, JOGG in

the Netherlands, VIASANO in Belgium, ŞI EU in Romania)

Estonian food industry year conference

22/04/2014, Tallinn

6

European action: the EU Platform

EU Platform launched in March 2005; FoodDrinkEurope(then CIAA) was a founding member

Aim: to improve public health nutrition, promote healthylifestyles and fight the increasing threat posed byobesity and other non-communicable diseases acrossEurope

In 2013, FoodDrinkEurope and its memberscontributed almost half of all commitments

Estonian food industry year conference

22/04/2014, Tallinn

7

FoodDrinkEurope commitments

5 Key areas of action:

Estonian food industry year conference

22/04/2014, Tallinn

8

FoodDrinkEurope largest contributor in terms of voluntary commitments on food

reformulation (12 out of 20 commitments in 2013)

2011 snapshot (comparable data, 8 Companies) :

- 993 tons of salt reduced

- 355 tons of saturated fat reduced

- 938 tons of sugars reduced

Fortification (addition of nutrients) considered under Regulation (EC) 1925/2006

Focus also product innovation (e.g. new product versions; different formulations for

certain product ranges, etc.)

Offering a wider variety of portion sizes and portion reduction, increasing choice and

availability

Food Composition and Portion Sizes

Estonian food industry year conference

22/04/2014, Tallinn

9

Consumer Information (incl. food labelling)

Need for simple, factual, objective, meaningful

and consistent nutrition information enabling

consumers to make informed choices

For the first time ever, Regulation (EU) 1169/2011

will introduce mandatory nutrition labelling

supported by the EU industry

In addition, already in 2005, FoodDrinkEurope

introduced and promoted voluntary, fact-based

front-of-pack nutrition labelling through the

development of Guideline Daily Amounts (GDA)*

as a commitment under the EU Platform

* “Reference Intakes” (RI)

Estonian food industry year conference

22/04/2014, Tallinn

10

Responsible Marketing and Advertising

Context: effect of advertising within the public health debate – industry

responding positively

Voluntary codes of conduct:

- National self-regulatory frameworks (e.g. the Belgian Pledge)

- Industry-wide self-regulatory code (e.g. ICC Framework for Responsible Food

and Beverage Marketing Communications)

- EU Pledge

National and regional regulatory frameworks in line with the EU Audiovisual

Media Services Directive 2010/13/EU

Compliance with Regulation 1924/2006/EC on nutrition and health claims

Estonian food industry year conference

22/04/2014, Tallinn

11

Promoting Healthy Lifestyles

Education, including lifestyle modification,

and promotion of physical activity are key

elements that support efforts to address

public health

Whilst not being its core activity, industry can

be a constructive and responsible partner,

e.g. through “Health in the Workplace”

programmes and public-private partnerships

with clear rules of engagement

Estonian food industry year conference

22/04/2014, Tallinn

12

Supporting Research

The European Technology Platform (ETP) Food for Life was

created in 2005 under the auspices of FoodDrinkEurope,

addressing innovation in the agri-food sector including research

targeted at the development of new processes, products and

tools that improve health, well-being and longevity.

Research priority areas identified:

- optimal development, wellness and ageing

- intestinal health and immune functions; and

- weight management and obesity

FoodDrinkEurope participates in the NU-AGE project, which

investigates the impact and role of the diet to counteract age-

related disease and functional decline, and in the Joint

Programming Initiative (JPI) “A Healthy Diet for a Healthy

Life”.

Estonian food industry year conference

22/04/2014, Tallinn

13

Conclusions

The European food and drink industry recognizes that it plays an important

role in health improvement, in co-operation with other actors

Continued support for EU Platform for Action on Diet, Physical Activity and

Health and national stakeholder platforms as a catalyst for further action

Local & Community-based approaches needed involving different disciplines

and partnerships

FoodDrinkEurope will further encourage initiatives to promote more balanced

diets and healthier lifestyles, from childhood to old age

Estonian food industry year conference

22/04/2014, Tallinn

14

www.fooddrinkeurope.eu

For more information, visit our website:

Estonian food industry year conference

22/04/2014, Tallinn