Netherlands Retail Report - USDA FAS

Netherlands Retail Report - USDA FAS

In addition to the fact that Benelux consumers are shedding retailer-loyalty, they shop at different times and locations. During lunch breaks, people buy their lunch and often the ingredients for that evening‟s meal. Small convenience stores, like “AH To Go” and “Delhaize shop „n go” are opened at locations near heavy traffic like train stations, schools, and shopping malls to satisfy these consumers‟ needs. The traditional neighborhood grocery stores are either going out of business, are taken over or are changing their product portfolio. They are expanding the grocery line of fresh and convenient prepared-foods with tailor-made sandwiches, filled tortillas and drinks to satisfy the consumers‟ need for “food for now”. The ready-to-cook segment is also expanding. Awareness of Health and Well-Being Consumers are becoming more aware of and are more concerned about the effects food has on their health and well-being. There is a trend to a healthier lifestyle in Western countries. The following US industries have all benefitted from this trend: nuts (like pistachios, almonds, walnuts, etc.), fruits (like cranberries, pomegranates, berries, etc.), seafood (like salmon, halibut, etc.). Consumers are more cautious about foodborne illnesses. Consumers are looking for and finding more information on this topic; the media, including the Internet, TV and magazines, respond to this desire and feed into it. Food processors and retailers play a crucial role as well, as they develop and market food products (like juices from POMwonderfull, Healthy People, etc.) to create, anticipate and meet consumers‟ needs.

Climate Change – Carbon Footprint Labeling Last year the European Commission conducted a survey on mandatory Carbon Footprint Labeling (CFL). Popular support for CFLl by country, varied between 47% to 90% of all 27,000 Europeans that were interviewed. Seventy percent of the respondents in Belgium and Luxemburg were supportive of a mandatory label whereas this was only supported by half of the Dutch interviewees. The latter, on the other hand, were after the Finnish the most likely (28%) to prefer a voluntary labeling system. The outcome of the survey can be found at http://ec.europa.eu/environment/eussd/pdf/FL256_analytical%20report_final.pdf After the December 2009 U.N. Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, the discussion on CFL got a new boost. Belgian federal Minister of Climate and Energy, Mr. Paul Magnette, stated that in addition to the price, the CO2 emission should also be mentioned on each product. This way, consumers become aware and see to what extent the products they buy influence global warming. Carbon Footprint Labeling is not (yet) an issue in the Netherlands. The government hasn‟t come out with a statement or position on CFL. It seems that all the individual stakeholders are waiting for the other to make the first move. Within the EU-27, the U.K. and Sweden are taking a leading role in CFL. For more information on Sweden, see GAIN Report SW9016. The overall labeling requirements for the Benelux can be found in the following GAIN Reports: NL9020 and GAIN BE9004.