ETRC’s Secretary General, Julie Lassaigne tells TRBusiness that the association is currently battling numerous threats to the confectionery category such as the restriction of volume-based price promotions of HFSS (high in fat, salt or sugar) food and drink as well as costly impacts of labelling regulations.

 

Commenting on the latter, Lassaigne clarifies ETRC’s position: “ETRC fully supports the principle that consumers should have access to relevant and meaningful information on products they wish to purchase and consume.

 

“However, the specific characteristics of our industry need to be taken into account and to be relevant to an international audience, while still meeting policy objectives and regulatory requirements.”

 

The Julie Lassaigne interview can be found in the May issue, forming part of the TRBusiness ‘Confectionery Conversation’ column, which shines a spotlight on the confectionery category in a 12-part series, sponsored by Mars Wrigley International Travel Retail. In the fifth edition of this initiative, Charlotte Turner explores the topic of responsible retailing within duty free & travel retail, with a special contribution from ETRC’s Lassaigne.

 

The ever-increasing demand from legislators for additional product content information – not only for confectionery – is creating enormous challenges for the global DF&TR industry. “All leading product categories in our retail channel are, or will at some point in the future be subject to demands for the labelling of ingredients and allergens and additionally for consumables, nutritional information and health attributes,” insists Lassaigne.

 

JEOPARDISING TRAVEL RETAIL EXCLUSIVES

The legal requirement to provide information ‘on pack’ creates substantial problems for the DF&TR industry, particularly when national language requirements or specific national/regional labelling rules are incorporated in regulatory initiatives, she adds.

 

“If applied to our channel, it would make it extremely difficult to have only one global product for our retail channel, therefore jeopardising travel retail exclusives and reducing consumer choice.”

 

Trade associations such as ETRC and ASUTIL, along with suppliers and retailers, are equally concerned about the development of front-of-pack labelling schemes for HFSS foods as witnessed recently in Latin America or Israel.

 

Other threats to the confectionery category include the UK Government’s proposal to restrict volume-based price promotions of HFSS food and drink (for example, ‘buy one, get one free’).

 

ETRC SEEKS EXEMPTION

It is also looking to restrict placement of HFSS food and drink at prominent areas of stores, such as checkouts, aisle ends and store entrances.

 

“ETRC, together with our members, UKTRF, brands and retailers active in the UK, is currently seeking an exemption from the proposal for operators in the duty free and travel retail channel, as we believe our channel falls clearly out of scope from the policy objectives outlined in the consultation (i.e. fight against childhood obesity),” says Lassaigne.

 

“We are confident that with the right engagement, we can get our voice heard. We have seen this in Ireland where the recently adopted Public Health (alcohol) legislation allows for specific conditions for the provision of consumer information on alcohol sold at airside airport duty free and travel retail shops. These can be met through the use of instore signage and notices instead of on-pack labelling.”

 

To read the full interview with Julie Lassaigne, pick up a copy of the TRBusiness May issue at TFWA Exhibition & Conference in Singapore.