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That the Corona virus is also influencing consumers' food choices is clear from the following case study. Whereas consumers normally select candy from various pick-and-mix bins without hesitation, it appears that consumers have become reluctant to do so at this time. Despite the fact that the Corona virus is not transmissible through food, consumers apparently think otherwise. This obviously has an impact on the suppliers who see their orders decline.
For this reason, a confectionery supplier came up with the issue of whether it would be possible to offer the goods in clear cellophane in the pick&mix bins. This legally means that the products go from "non-prepackaged foods," where only the legally required allergens are presented on the shelf card, to "pre-packaged foods." These pre-packaged items must then be labeled according to Article 9 of Regulation (EU) No. 1169/2011, which means that, among other things, the name, a list of ingredients and nutritional values must be indicated.
However, this change in labeling was not feasible for this supplier in the short term, so the solution had to be sought elsewhere.
Special times call for flexible solutions. Despite legislation being strict and not allowing for exceptions like this, Précon did see the need to look for a flexible solution. After all, customer orders were decreasing dramatically.
With a solid argumentation, Précon consulted with its contacts within the NVWA. The NVWA also understood this special situation and indicated that for this specific case they had no objection temporarily to offering the candy packaged without the legally required items on the packaging.
Examples like this demonstrate well that flexible solutions to your issues can be provided in these extraordinary times. Are you running into a similar situation? Then get in touch with us. We can be reached at info@precongroup.com or NL +31 (0)30 - 65 66 010 or BE +32 (0)11 26 99 07.
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