Heinz challenged to drop 'phoney' Farmers' Market claims

An alliance of consumer groups and environmental organisations are calling on the food giant Heinz to drop its “phoney” environmental claims in a recent £1.6m advertising campaign. The alliance says that Heinz should not claim that its canned soups contain “ingredients that you would find at a Farmers' Market”, and have complained to the Advertising Standards Authority. [1]

Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming [2], published a survey report today [3] giving over 30 examples of environmental claims made by food companies such as Heinz, Asda, Tesco and Marks & Spencer, used to promote products with questionable environmental credentials. The survey report will be submitted to the Food Standards Agency as part of a government review of food marketing terms.

“The mainstream food industry is keenly aware that descriptions such as 'local', 'seasonal' and 'farmers' market' are attractive to consumers,” said Sustain's Policy Director, Kath Dalmeny, who compiled the survey. “Such descriptions have come to symbolise the qualities of a more ethical and sustainable food system. Many food producers do make genuine efforts to improve the environmental and ethical credentials of their products. But disturbingly, our survey showed that such efforts are being hijacked. Big food companies and supermarkets have begun to abuse these valuable descriptions by applying them to products and practices that we believe do not deserve such ethical or environmental credentials.”

Sustain's survey shows that we stand in real danger of descriptions such as 'local' and 'seasonal' losing their value, and consumers losing their trust in ethical and environmental messages associated with food. This is likely to greatly reduce their ability to make better choices, undermining efforts to combat climate change and other environmental damage, and to support better incomes for farmers.

Jeff Allder, a food expert from the National Consumer Council, said: “Consumers have the right to expect accurate and informative food labelling. Clearer guidance on the use of the terms 'seasonal' and 'local' will prevent misuse and deliver greater consumer confidence. At the moment, 'local' food can come from a county or entire region; 'seasonal' can refer to an imported crop that has no bearing on the UK growing season. A tighter definition will give retailers greater clarity on how to label and market food and stop consumers being confused or misled.”

Sustain is calling on the government's Food Standards Agency to adopt nationally agreed definitions for marketing descriptions such as “local”, “seasonal” and “farmers' market”. Trading standards officers and the Advertising Standards Authority need guidance on how to enforce these definitions, to defend valuable environmental concepts from abuse by the food industry. While such definitions are being agreed, Sustain is also calling on the food industry to “do the decent thing”, and stop using such descriptions inappropriately. Sustain has also launched an online petition for consumers to register their concern. See: www.sustainweb.org/page.php?id=407

Contact: Kath Dalmeny, Sustain, tel: 0203 5596 777; email: kath@sustainweb.org
For the Ethical Hijack report published today, see: www.sustainweb.org/publications/ 

Notes for Editors

1. Sustain's survey (called 'Ethical Hijack: Why the terms “local”, “seasonal” and “farmers' market” should be defended from abuse by the food industry'[3]) found:

• Heinz using the description “Farmers' Market” to promote canned soup;
  
• Asda using the description “in season” to promote plums and nectarines from Chile, and a “seasonal” promotion with an image of a child eating chocolate cake;
  
• M&S using the description “seasonal” for mandarin juice, and “in season” for speciality tomatoes likely to be grown in a heated glasshouse;
  
• Sainsbury's transporting carrots over hundreds of miles and then selling them as “local”, and using the description “seasonal” for own-brand washing powder;
  
• Somerfield using the term “in season” for recipes using imported mango, melon and avocado;
  
• Tesco using the description “New Season!” to promote New Zealand apples and the term “British” to promote New Zealand lamb.

In a world of conflicting messages and confusing environmental claims, certain concepts and descriptions help consumers navigate their way to more ethical choices:

• Eating seasonal food, for example, can help us to reconnect with the seasons and reduce greenhouse gas emissions – the food can be grown in natural conditions, and does not need to be refrigerated for long, or transported very far.
  
• Eating local food can help us to use our purchasing power to give farmers a decent income and to reduce how far food has traveled.
  
• The booming popularity of farmers' markets shows that consumers are increasingly interested in supporting local farmers, eating a more seasonal diet, and making a personal connection with the people who grow their food.

For evidence of consumers' growing interest in ethical food, see references [4],[5].

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References
1. The definition of a genuine “farmers' market” embodies environmental, social and ethical principles and values, is widely understood by the general public and practitioners, and adhered to by over 500 genuine “Farmers' Markets” in the UK. The term “Farmers' Market” should properly be used to describe produce purchased from “a market in which farmers, growers or producers from a defined local area are present in person to sell their own produce, direct to the public. All products sold should have been grown, reared, caught, brewed, pickled, baked, smoked or processed by the stallholder”. See the website of the National Farmers' Retail & Markets Association (FARMA), which runs an independent inspection scheme to ensure that markets trading as “farmers' market” adhere to the principles and criteria, see: http://www.farmersmarkets.net/.
2. Sustain is an alliance representing around 100 not-for-profit organisations working on food, health and environmental issues. Sustain advocates food and agriculture policies and practices that enhance the health and welfare of people and animals, improve the working and living environment, enrich society and culture and promote equity.
3. Sustain's report 'Ethical Hijack: Why the terms “local”, “seasonal” and “farmers' market” should be defended from abuse by the food industry' is available at www.sustainweb.org/publications/
Sustain also publishes simple guidance for consumers and businesses on how to 'Eat Well and Save the Planet!” at: www.sustainweb.org/sustainablefood
4. Institute of Grocery Distribution, Retail and Foodservice Opportunities for Local Food, March 2006. Neilsen research published in December 2007 states:“57% actively try to buy local products, up from 48% six months earlier. Some 46% said it was worth paying extra for ethically-produced goods or those seen as kind to the environment.” See: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7147251.stm
5. Mintel, Ethnic Restaurants and Takeaways – UK, June 2006
6. Further note: This is not the first time Heinz has appropriated public messages to promote its canned foods. In 2003, the food giant tussled with the Food Commission (a food and health pressure group) and ASA over advertised claims that products such as canned soups, beans and spaghetti could contribute more than one portion to the healthy five-a-day target. At the time, some of these products were high in salt, and the Food Commission pointed out that public health messages should not be used to promote high-salt foods. See the 2003 ASA ruling on Heinz at: www.asa.org.uk/asa/adjudications/non_broadcast/Adjudication+Details.htm?Adjudication_id=35801. After high-profile media attention and a government programme with industry on salt reduction, Heinz eventually reduced salt in its products and changed its labels, see: www.guardian.co.uk/society/2003/jan/11/food.foodanddrink.