Slovene Consumer ‘ s Association - SCA Dr. Tanja Pajk Žontar

1. Slovene Consumer‘s Association - SCA Dr. Tanja Pajk Žontar Stakeholder meeting between SAFEFOODERA and Consumer groups Brussels, 15. - 16. March 2007

2. Who are we? SCA: • NGO , indepedent and autonomous • founded by members in 1990 • Aim: protection of consumer interests and rights • Founder of the consumer magazine VIP (in 1991)

3. Main activities • Consumer advice and information • Advocacy • Legal aid • Consumer education • International co-operation • International Consumer Research Institute (ICORI) - 1993 • Consumer International (CI) - 1991 • The European Consumer's Organisation (BEUC)

4. Who is a consumer? • Buys a product or service for own use, not for sale • Child, parent • Young, adult • Professional, Housewife • Healthy, sick ... • Vulnerable grops???

5. Consumers are confused! Consumer needs science based evidence properly communicated (education, information, labelling) and assessed (“coctail”)

6. Risk, uncertainty and consumer Consumers perceive risk differently and diversely from experts • Expert: objectively assessed, managed and communicated • Consumer: subjective - affected by beliefs, trust, human nature, social status, education...

7. Risk, uncertainty and consumer • SCA and BEUC emphasis • Risk-benefit analysis should be clearly explained to consumers • Impact on health, choice, environment, • trade and competitiveness

8. Consumer’s choice • European consumer makes a choice of foodstuffs on: • Quality: 42 % • Price: 40 % • Taste: 31 % • Pleasure: 29 % • Hunger: 27 % • Health: 19 % • Food safety: 8 %

9. European consumer’s perspective SCA and BEUC emphasis Achieve the right balance between innovation and consumer protection by improving the understanding, communication and management of risk and uncertainty

10. Thank you!