The European Union has launched a major campaign aimed at UK food industry professionals, promoting the unique qualities of European food and drink. The campaign highlights the EU’s leading standards in food safety, quality, sustainability, and authenticity.
Named More Than Only Food and Drink, the campaign is designed to raise awareness of what makes EU food and beverage products distinctive and appealing to UK businesses.
The campaign spotlights six main product categories: processed meat, including charcuterie, salami, hams, and sausages; fresh meat, such as poultry (duck and goose), beef, pork, and lamb; dairy and cheese; fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables; bakery and confectionery; and wine, spirits, and beers.
To reinforce its message, the EU has enlisted UK category advisors who are experts in these fields. These advisors will champion the EU’s robust regulations on food safety, quality, animal welfare, and environmental care. The campaign also aims to increase awareness of EU quality labels such as Protected Denomination of Origin (PDO), Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), and EU Organic.
The initiative offers UK food professionals a variety of experiences, including trade exhibitions, seminars on sustainability, industry-specific roundtables, and webinars with trade publications. Additional activities include innovation showcases highlighting advanced EU food technologies and study trips to EU countries, offering direct interaction with producers.
A media campaign will support these events, ensuring the campaign’s message reaches an even wider audience.
Patrick McGuigan, cheese writer and educator, and an advisor to the campaign, explained: “This campaign aims to highlight the remarkable quality and diversity of food and drink made in the 27 Member States of the EU. From sustainable farming and traditional production practices to the EU Quality Labels scheme and strong food safety and traceability standards, the EU produces food and drink that is not only delicious, but is also rooted in cultural heritage, time-honoured traditions and innovation. As the campaign strapline says, it’s ‘More Than Only Food and Drink.’”
“The ultimate aim is to encourage the imports, use and sales of authentic EU agricultural food and beverage products in the UK.”
