Objetivos y metas de desarrollo institucional de la unidad académica

4

Context

Th is chapter focuses on food and beverage distributors, in other words, the interface between producers and consumers. In a simplifi ed presentation, wholesalers and wholesale agents are intermediaries between producers and retailers or between two producers, for example, between sugar refi ners and confectionery producers, while retailers supply consumers, sourcing their products directly from producers or from wholesalers.

Traditionally national food retail markets within Europe have been served by a mixture of local shops and national chains. An expansion by national groups into other markets within the EU and further afi eld has been witnessed in recent years. Accompanying this international retail expansion, food and beverage products are increasingly traded internationally, with imported produce available alongside local, regional and national produce, such that many products that were traditionally considered to be seasonal are now available practically all year round. Food retailers can be distinguished between specialised retailers, for example, bakers and butchers, and non-specialised food retailers, including independent grocers and convenience stores, as well as national and international supermarket, discount and hypermarket chains.

In many Member States the three largest food retailers are believed to account for more than half the food retailing market, and this high concentration has raised concerns over competition and buying power. As well as in-store retailers, markets and stalls play an important role in food retailing in some Member States, particularly in the southern Member States.

Th e ability to trace food through the distribution chain helps producers, distributors or public authorities to withdraw or recall products which have been identifi ed as unsafe, helping to ensure food safety while reducing disruption to trade. Based on EU legislation, traceability has been compulsory since 2005 for all enterprises involved in food and animal feed. Th is requires traceability systems to be implemented in order to be able to identify where products have come from and where they are going.

Th ere are special rules for certain categories of food products as well as for genetically modifi ed products.

Th e EU is also active in a number of other areas related to the distribution of food and beverages, notably concerning labelling, packaging and food safety, including additives and supplements. A 1990 Council Directive legislates for nutritional labelling of food

products, while a European Parliament and Council Directive from 2000 legislates for general provisions concerning labelling, presentation and advertising of food products. Among other things, this prohibits the use of information that would mislead consumers or attribute medicinal properties to food. In January 2008, the European Commission adopted proposals to revise and combine these pieces of legislation in a new Regulation, with a view to help consumers make healthier choices as part of a more balanced diet, and so contribute towards combating obesity.

As opposed to nutritional information, a European Parliament and Council Regulation on nutrition and health claims made on foods was adopted in 2006, and aims to avoid users being confused or misled by unfounded or overstated claims about the nutritional content or health benefi ts of food and beverage products.

Additionally, the legislation should help ensure fair competition for producers. Th e Regulation applies to food and beverage products intended for human consumption made available within the EU. Implementation of this legislation started in July 2007 and is being carried out in stages.

A European Parliament and Council Directive from 2004 legislates for materials and articles intended to come into contact with food, including packaging. Th e basic principle is that any such material or article must be suffi ciently inert to preclude substances from being transferred to food in quantities large enough to endanger human health or to bring about an unacceptable change in the composition or properties of the food.

Food additives are substances added intentionally to food products, for example, to colour, to sweeten or to preserve food. A 2006 European Parliament and Council Regulation regulates the addition of vitamins and minerals and certain other substances to food products. As opposed to additives, food supplements are concentrated sources of nutrients or other substances with a nutritional or physiological eff ect whose purpose is to supplement the normal diet; they are marketed in distinct doses, for example, as pills or capsules. A 2002 Directive of the European Parliament and Council established rules for the labelling of food supplements to help consumers. Mineral and vitamin supplements, as well as mineral and vitamin additives, are subject to evaluation by the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA). Novel food products, including genetically modifi ed products are also subject to safety evaluations – novel food products are those whose consumption within the EU was nil or insignifi cant prior to May 1997.

Table 4.1: Number of enterprises, wholesale and retail activities,

EU-27 (1) 214.0 42.5 22.4 43.0 474.7 508.8 76.7 130.0 66.0

BE 5.4 0.8 0.9 0.6 6.7 11.4 1.2 4.3 2.4

Wholesale activities Retail activities

(1) Includes estimates; retail sale of food, beverages and tobacco in specialized stores, unreliable.

(2) 2004.

(3) Wholesale of other food excluding dairy products, eggs and fats, and retail sale of meat and meat products, 2004.

Source: Eurostat (Food: From farm to fork statistics, FOOD_ACT8 and Structural business statistics, SBS_NA_3B_TR)

Structural overview

From Tables 4.1 and 4.2 it can be seen that there are more enterprises providing food and beverage services (restaurants, bars, canteens and catering) than there are own-account wholesalers and retailers of food, beverages and tobacco. Th e number of restaurants, bars, canteens and catering enterprises in the EU-27 was about 1.4 million in the EU-27 in 2005. In comparison, there were 214 000 food, beverage and tobacco wholesalers and nearly a million (984 000) food, beverage and tobacco retail enterprises, a slight majority of the latter being enterprises with specialised stores. Note that the fi gures here are for the number of enterprises, not the number of outlets, each enterprise is counted once regardless of the number of outlets.

Table 4.2: Number of restaurants, bars, canteens and catering enterprises

(1) 2004 instead of 2005.