Fondation EurActiv organised for Wednesday 8 December a lunchtime Stakeholder Workshop on the role of marketing in providing the right mix of information to consumers. The workshop was organised with the support of Coca-Cola Europe.

Programme:

This year’s debates surrounding the revision of the EU’s rules on labelling have highlighted the challenges of providing readable and usable information. Labels are however only part of a wider context, where marketing plays a key role in empowering consumers and help them make healthy choices.

• To which extent is information provided to consumers effective in encouraging consumption of healthier products? How can it be properly ‘activated’?
• What form of marketing guidelines should businesses follow to encourage healthy lifestyles? Can the food and advertising industries successfully regulate themselves, or are legally binding guidelines more effective?
• Who should share responsibility in providing information to consumers and in ‘activating’ it? What different functions can schools, doctors, civil society organisations and businesses play?
• Civil society organisations and businesses have important networks and valuable expertise. How can public authorities best use these channels and competences to reach consumers with correct and effective messages?

Contributors included:

• Renate SOMMER, MEP
• Mattia PELLEGRINI, Member of Cabinet Tajani
• Monique GOYENS, Director General, BEUC
• Wouter VERMEULEN, Corporate Responsibility Director, Coca-Cola Europe

Moderator: Gary FINNEGAN, EU policy journalist

Chair: Ross MELZER, Public Affairs Director, EurActiv