Launch of the European Food Safety Campaign
In response to a demand for more information on food safety from consumers, the European Commission has recently launched the European Food Safety Campaign which will run in all EU Member States. The campaign will use the slogan "Food safety is a shared responsibility: the responsible consumer is informed and active" and will aim to inform and educate the consumer on food safety issues. The campaign will be targeted not only at consumers in general, but also at specific population groups, such as the younger consumer. Consumer associations have been particularly active in the planning and implementation of this campaign, and in the majority of Member States the approach will be to highlight the importance of following the instructions given on labels and abiding by basic rules of hygiene. The campaign is particularly innovative in its approach in that it provides for the creation of national consortia bringing together all those involved in the food production chain: farmers, processors, retailers and consumers. The campaign aims to tackle, in particular, the amount and impact of food poisoning in Europe. In launching the campaign, the European Commissioner for consumer policy, Mrs Emma Bonino, stated, "The consumer has a fundamental right to safe food, and I intend to do everything in my power to ensure that this right becomes a reality. I want everyone to be aware that food safety does not depend on just one link in the food chain, but demands constant effort on the part of all those involved, from the producer to the consumer".