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EuroCommerce DG Welcomes CGF Global Food Safety Conference As Addressing the Key Regulatory Issues

 As the co-chair of the CGF liaison group, EuroCommerce actively supports the Consumer Goods Forum and the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). On product safety and other strategic pillars, EuroCommerce is fully committed to engage in ensuring that these translate into real progress at European level.
 
Being in the consumer spotlight each and every day, retailers cannot afford to compromise on food safety. It is simply crucial to our reputation and consumer confidence. Retailers have shown that they can introduce processes quickly to deal with known and newly emerging food safety risks. This is a huge challenge bearing in mind that retailers deal with thousands of different food product lines. We keep on top of these issues by setting up and actively participating in quality schemes and voluntary initiatives, such as those endorsed by GFSI.
 
As the voice for European retail and wholesale, EuroCommerce plays a key role in making sure that decision-makers in the European institutions know what we are doing to ensure European consumers can enjoy safe food, and explain how this can best be achieved, without unnecessary cost that the consumer has ultimately to bear. The upcoming conference is a vital tool to gain in-depth knowledge, and link up with issues on the EU agenda and avoid unnecessary regulation.
 
Looking at the programme, I immediately see that the conference addresses a number of key issues on the political and regulatory agenda, for example big data. Big data links directly to the continued call from society for more information on ingredients, and for more transparency on the origin of products. It is very important that the information that is available is used without creating an unnecessary burden for any one business sector. Instead, responsibility should be shared along the supply chain.
 
To trust or not to trust food derived from insects is another issue on which food businesses need to be aware of the upcoming challenges, especially in view of the recently adopted EU novel food regulation.
 
The line-up of speakers is impressive – experts in their field and with experience and insights worth every moment of ones’ time. I have no doubt of the value of this type of conference: at a time when communications occur mainly via internet, email or by phone, personal meetings and exchanges between experts are hugely valuable.
 
I wish you a successful and inspiring conference.

Christian Verschueren
Director General
EuroCommerce