Edible IP: how to profit from regional brands
With increasing consumer interest in the origin of their food and in local suppliers and producers, formal recognition of a brand’s regional identity can have a significant impact on its profitability. This is even more pronounced across Europe, where the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) logo increases a product’s commercial value.
UK organisations lag significantly behind our Europe counterparts in the protected status of regional food brands. In this article we focus on how companies can positively promote and safeguard their products through the EU exclusivity schemes and the UK’s Red Tractor food assurance initiative.
EU protected food names scheme
Whilst the UK has just 36 protected regional food brands, France has 161 and Italy has 155. This is in contrast to the number of new products produced by UK organisations in the last few years – over 6,000 in 2005, twice as many as France and easily the largest across the EU.
The EU protected food names scheme provides producers with the opportunity to distinguish their brands and create a unique appeal in an increasingly crowded market. There are three different statuses relevant to most foods, each with a designated logo:
- Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) for products produced, processed and prepared within a particular geographical area
- Protected Geographical Indication (PDI) for products which must be produced, processed or prepared within the geographical area and have a reputation, features or certain qualities attributable to that area
- Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) for products which are traditional or have customary names and have a set of features which distinguish them from other similar products.
The DEFRA website informs producers that from 1 May 2009, one of the above logos must appear on the product label to ensure ongoing protection from imitation. Companies wishing to benefit from the status should start the application process today - it is predictably tedious, with most applications taking two years to complete.
The PGI map of Britain – from Shetland Lamb to Jersey Royal Potatoes via Buxton Blue Cheese and Worcestershire Cider
The 36 UK registered product names include dairy products, alcohol, fish, meat and vegetables. The most recent to acquire its registration was Staffordshire Cheese at the end of September 2007. Products currently applying for the protected status include Cornish Pasties, Lincolnshire Pork Sausage and Colchester Oysters.
Food From Britain (FFB) is the UK organisation commissioned by the government to be responsible for handling applications made by UK producers, and offers advice on securing protected status, as well as services to develop export activity and trade development. See Explaining to Europe: top five tips for conquering the continent, for contact details.
Riding along on the little Red Tractor
The Red Tractor Scheme, the major food assurance initiative, has so far been used by 78,000 farmers to identify their produce as British, and produced to high ecological standards. Supported by British retailers, the scheme applies to the entire supply chain and now appears on over £5bn worth of UK food annually. By utilising the initiative the food industry can reassure consumers of their high quality and British origins, and as the Red Tractor logo becomes more recognisable it creates an additional buying incentive.
What you can do
Companies wishing to take advantage of regional exclusivity, to protect their products and increase the commercial value of their brands can gain advice and assistance from a number of sources:
www.defra.gov.uk
www.foodfrombritain.com
www.nfuonline.com
www.redtractor.org.uk
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