reLAKSation 96.
Mistakes
do happen! The Salmon Farm
Protest Group have lodged a formal complaint with the European
Commission alleging that British supermarkets have failed to
comply with the EU fish labelling regulations. They say that as a
result, UK consumers have no idea as to whether the salmon they
buy are farmed or wild.
As we have
discussed in previous issues of reLAKSation, we, at Callander
McDowell, are in doubt that these allegations are overstated as
we know from our many observations in British supermarkets, that
fresh salmon products are clearly labelled as to whether they are
farmed or wild as well as stating their country of origin.
As we all know, the
SFPG are not really bothered about labelling legislation, they
are simply using this issue to draw attention to their own cause.
As a result, they have had to resort to some extremely suspect
breaches of the legislation to support their complaint. They cite
just two examples. One is of a smoked salmon product and the
other is a case of fish wrapped in store. Neither are examples of
standard product and as with all changes of legislation, there
will be always one or two examples which initially slip through
the net. These do not constitute deliberate attempts to hoodwink
consumers as they claim, but simple errors, which in time, will
be rectified.
The SFPG wrote to all British supermarkets informing them of their supermarket watch and in response, one supermarket, Tesco replied with the following: “As you say, mistakes happen, so I would be grateful if you would contact me if the SFPA see any product labels that you feel do not comply with the legislation.” The SFPG have been kind enough to include this and other correspondence on their website for us all to read. We have copied part of the text onto our own website to demonstrate that mistakes are easy enough to make. The SPFG write that ‘ Tesco’s had written to SPFG chairman Bruce Sandison assuring him that all Waitrose products had been properly labelled.’ We would imagine that the supermarket group Waitrose are delighted that one of their competitors, Tesco, have checked all their labelling and can assure that all are properly labelled!
The Salmon
Farm Monitor
An rud bhios na do bhròin, cha bhi e na do thiomhnadh
“That which you have wasted will not be there for future
generations”
Latest news from
the campaign
The Supermarket Watch Campaign updated list of violations
reported by our supporters ...
22nd April: SFPG supporter Jim Boyd reports improperly
labelled salmon on sale in Tesco's; a week earlier, Tesco's had
written to SFPG Chairman Bruce Sandison assuring him that all
Waitrose salmon products had been properly labelled. ...
However, this is
not just a single typographical error as on a separate page,
which they show Tesco’s response, they title it as ‘15th
April letter from Waitrose.’
15th April letter from Waitrose
Dear Mr. Sandison,
Thank you for your letter dated 1st April 2003 sent to our
Chief Executive, Sir Terry Leahy. It has been passed to me for a
more detailed response.
I am fortunate to have been involved with the generation of
the fish labelling legislation at the EU and UK level and I can
confirm to you that we changed the labels of all affected
products, approximately six months ago.
As you say, mistakes happen, so I would be grateful if you
would contact me if the SFPA see any product labels that you feel
do riot comply with the legislation.
Thank you again for your letter.
Yours sincerely, for and on behalf of
TESCO STORES LIMITED
Jeremy Hooper
Category Technical Manager
If the
SFPG can make such a simple error twice on their website surely
British supermarkets, which deal with many thousands of products,
can be excused if they make a small labelling error on just one
or two during the introduction of this new legislation,
especially as they have admitted their error and promised to
rectify them.
The life of a cornflake?: FIS Market Reports relate that as the
salmon market quietens down during the summer months, the
harvested volume is going down. However, even though demand for
salmon may decline, they wonder whether many farmers may continue
to push salmon onto the market, either to relieve cash flow
problems or because the fish are now starting to mature.
Sending
more fish to market would clearly have a negative effect on
prices, unless consumer demand can be increased to absorb the
extra fish. Some commentators have previously indicated that the
problem of low prices are the result of over-production. However,
it can be seen that the current low prices is the consequence of
sending too many fish to market at the same time. This is not the
same as over-production. The immediate solution is to absorb
these extra fish through increased demand.
Previously,
the industry have tried to stimulate demand through the EU
generic campaign. Some features of this promotion continue to run
even though the EU salmon agreement of which the generic
promotion was part has come to an end. The websites of www.salmon-today.com and the relates sites in Germany, France
and Spain all continue to send out recipe ideas to those
consumers who subscribed during the main campaign. It speaks
volumes that the industry continues to experience problems whilst
this campaign is still underway.
The
distribution of recipes has always been the main focus of salmon promotions,
irrespective of the main sponsors or location. Unfortunately, recipes appeal to
those consumers who still bother to cook for themselves. Analyses of consumer
purchase patterns would suggest that such consumers tend to be older, over 45
and have families that have left home. Younger consumers simply do not buy
salmon or, equally, any other fresh fish. Instead, they tend to buy ready meals
and other convenience products. To give recipes to these consumers is like
giving road directions to your office to visitors who intend to travel by train.
The promotions must reflect the type of consumer targeted.
Persuading those
sections of the public who do not currently eat salmon to
suddenly do so, will not be a quick fix. This will be a much more
of a long haul, but will be essential to secure the long term
future of salmon consumption. It cannot be the answer to current
problems. Instead, the industry must persuade existing consumers
to eat more salmon. This requires a totally different type of
promotion.
Whilst bemoaning
the fact the other countries appear to be harvesting their fish
for cash, Richie Flynn, Executive Secretary of the Irish Salmon
Growers Association told Intrafish that supermarket prices do not
appear to be going down as well. He welcomes this saying that
salmon is still a premium product and should be sold for more.
We, at Callander McDowell, are not convinced. We believe that
supermarkets are not cutting prices because they perceive salmon
to be a premium product, but rather because they know that once
prices are cut, it will be almost impossible to put them up again
without losing customers. Compared with other fish, most
consumers see salmon as a value for money fish and this is
reflected in the average supermarket price. Rather than cut
prices, supermarkets would rather put salmon on a fixed term
promotion, usually just for a week or two, after which prices
return to their usual level.
At present British supermarket Sainsburys is currently running a ‘Buy One Get One Free’ promotion on 400g packs of salmon. This is being widely advertised on both the radio and on advertising hoardings.
It is
interesting that Sainsburys have taken the view that the radio
advert should be humourous rather than focus on its origin. This
is in line with many Scotch Whisky adverts which now ignore the
Scottish origins and take a more updated approach, no doubt to
attract younger more fashionable consumers. In the case of the
Sainsburys radio commercial, the text is as follows, although it
is probably more appropriate to hear it than read it:-
"Man:
“Hello shoppers just here to let you know about our buy one
get one free offer on Sainsburys fresh salmon fillets so if you
get yourselves down to....
Woman....Ahhh
magical salmon, a proud creature, battling against nature itself,
single minded in its one predestined goal to end up” (change
of voice tone) “on your plate with a nice looking rocket
salad and a glass of Pinot Grigio
Man: You make the
death of a fish for the good of man sound so romantic
Sainsburys voice-over:
“Buy a 400g pack of salmon fillets and get another one free
- Sainsburys making life taste better for less.”
Woman: Tomorrow
we'll be telling you about the life of a cornflake!!!!”