Butter criteria stick in producers’ throats

Date: 23/04/1998

By Myles Neligan

THE margarine industry is warning that many products may have to be withdrawn from supermarket shelves once a new set of EU criteria governing spreadable fat products comes into force in July.

The new rules will also oblige producers of delicacies like herb or garlic butter to label their products as 'butter preparations' to distinguish them from 'normal' butter.

Industry representatives have been quick to condemn the move. "This regulation unfairly penalises the margarine industry and hands a competitive advantage to butter producers," said Inneke Herreman of the European Margarine Producers' Association (IMACE).

She pointed out that under new inspection procedures to be brought in under the regulation, the entire output of an individual producer could be withdrawn from supermarket shelves if a single sample failed to meet the new minimum margarine fat content of 41%.

"Because of the different technologies involved, it is much harder to ensure a uniform fat content in margarine production than in butter production," she said. "Up until now, the average fat content of the whole production batch has been used as a reference measurement. We do not see the need for this change."

Herreman dismisses the European Commission's argument that strict control of margarine fat content is a necessary consumer protection measure, arguing that occasional variations have a "minimal" impact on consumers.

Meanwhile the European Dairy Association (EDA), which represents butter producers, is focusing opposition on the new labelling requirement. "Some of our members are unhappy with this aspect of the regulation," said spokesman Christophe Wolls, who added that describing products as 'butter preparations' might give consumers the impression they were of inferior quality to normal butter.

Apart from garlic butter, the labelling requirement will hit local butter-based specialities such as German kräuterboter and Swedish messmör. "We know that these new criteria will affect a number of traditional regional delicacies throughout the EU, but there was a strong feeling that the range of products marketed as butter needed to be restricted, for the benefit of both dairy farmers and consumers," said a Commission official who helped draft the new rules.

Officials admit it was difficult to get agreement on the proposals despite lengthy consultations with EU governments. A committee of national dairy industry experts failed to agree a common position within the time limit, but this did not prevent the new rules being introduced as they flesh out an initiative already agreed in principle at ministerial level.

However, margarine producers intend to step up their calls for the Commission to abandon the new inspection procedures before the regulation comes into force on 1 July.