Embargo 31 March 18:30

Press Statement: European Brands Association (AIM) launches Charter on Brands for Health & Well-being

Launched in line with rising concerns about the health and well-being of European Union citizens, the AIM Charter is a commitment by consumer branded companies across Europe both to provide consumers with high quality products that give them the option of balanced choices and to engage and educate consumers about  healthy lifestyles.

Brussels – 31 March 2008 – Signaling a cross-sectoral commitment to integrate health & well-being objectives into the heart of research, design, production and marketing, the European Brands Association (AIM) today launched a new Charter to galvanize that undertaking.

In a ceremony Monday evening at the Solvay Library in Brussels, Andrew Morgan, President of AIM and Diageo’s President for Europe, handed the Charter “on Brands for Health & Well-being” to Robert Madelin, Director General of the European Commission’s Directorate General for Health and Consumer Protection (DG SANCO).

“Underlying our pledge is our belief that the brands industry can play a unique role in encouraging consumers to make healthy choices in their lifestyles through our marketing and consumer communications,” said Mr. Morgan in the handover ceremony. “Consumer welfare through the provision of quality products has also always underpinned our activities, but the Charter reflects a common decision to reinforce these developments to ensure that the promotion of health & well-being is much more than just the latest marketing trend,” he added.

In a statement to the press welcoming the Charter, Androula Vassiliou, Commissioner for Health said that “It is very welcome that companies have decided not simply to talk about health, but to integrate it in marketing and product development activities, making health part of the strategic vision of some leading players in Europe.”

The signing of the Charter by some of the largest and most respected consumer product companies in Europe today unites them in a commitment to use the quality of their brands and the strength of their marketing to promote healthy lifestyles and consumer choices.  Although the Charter ratification process has only just begun, over 50 companies have already signed up including Coca-Cola, Diageo, Ferrero, Freudenberg-Vileda, GSK, Lego, Nestlé, Osram, PepsiCo, Philips Electronics, Procter & Gamble Oral Care and Unilever (see separate list of signatories). In an exhibition at the Solvay Library accompanying the Charter launch, many of these signatories profiled existing products and initiatives designed to promote healthy lifestyles.

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AIM members are already developing healthy options, as summarised in The Contribution of Brands to Health & Well-being in Europe a report prepared by the HenleyCentre HeadlightVision. This Report documents existing examples of efforts by individual companies to promote healthy options and to provide wide-ranging consumer, employee and supply-chain education.  This Report divides company initiatives into three categories namely innovation & product design; consumer advice & education and finally professional education & training.  Moving forward to implement the Charter, companies will focus on these categories as well.

 “The changes envisioned by the Charter will not happen overnight, but the integration of health & well-being into product development including the redirection of R&D towards healthier lifestyle options, will make the changes sustainable,” Mr. Morgan stressed.

For further information:

About AIM:

AIM represents the branded goods industries in Europe.  Its membership groups 1800 companies of all sizes and national associations from 21 countries across Europe including most EU members, but also Norway, Russia and Switzerland.  These companies employ some two million workers and account for annual sales figures of over €350 billion. For more information: http://www.aim.be/  

The Charter is available at www.aim.be
The Henley Report is available at http://www.aim.be/

 

The Founding Signatories