written/translated by: Ciarán Reilly
Hildegung Scholvien talks about the V-label situation in Germany
Q.You are responsible for V-label
matters in Germany.When did you
take over this task?
A. Since 2002 my husband
Guenter and myself have been in
charge of the label marketing in
Germany. We are pleased to continue
the ground-breaking work of
Thilo Bock who did a great job in
introducing the label. He had
already established excellent contacts
with certain consumer groups
and we have profited from these
connections and are developing
them further.
Q.How effective is the cooperation
between consumer groups and
industry in Germany?
A. It is not always a happy relationship
because by nature interests
are bound to clash: Consumer protection
organisations want to find out
more than some companies are prepared
to offer as far as ingredients
and production of food is concerned.
So certain tensions are liable to
occur.
Q. Have there been many problems
between consumer “watchdogs”
and industry?
A. Absolutely! I have compiled a
large number of press reports from a
variety of sources, covering many different
food problems.
Q.These problems are certainly
making the V-label, which is
issued and controlled by a neutral
third party, especially helpful.
After all, it boosts consumer confidence
and in that way opens new
markets?
A. One would think so but some
German firms remain reserved and
declare openly that only growing
consumer demand for controlled
vegetarian labels is going to stimulate
changes on their side. As at present
only 8 % of the German population
are vegetarians, it is difficult to
build up the necessary pressure to
“convince” industry.
Q.What is your personal evaluation
of the situation?
A. Whereas I have to admit that
the work in label-matters can occasionally
be somewhat frustrating, I
see definite progress and very hopeful
signs. Just to name some of our
latest arrangements: the V-label has
been granted to a senior citizens’
home in Trippstadt, the basic ingredients
of two newly developed plantbased
steaks from the company
Kampffmeyer in Hamburg are labelcontrolled
and we are increasing our
cooperation with the German marketing
industry, on an international
level..
Q. So cooperation on a European
level is also one of your aims?
A. As we also receive label
inquiries from neighbouring countries,
the international context needs
to be looked at carefully in the interests
of the vegetarian community.
More and more concerned citizens
have switched to a vegetarian diet
and this factor will eventually lead to
a growing variety of vegetarian
goods on supermarket shelves everywhere.
Already today, encouraging
changes are truly perceptible: the
choice in vegetarian food items is
growing rapidly and can be observed
even in smaller rural shops. Of
course, a controlled vegetarian logo
will be a very positive asset in this
process, for industry and consumers
alike.
To find out more about the German
logo, please contact:
Vegetarier-Bund Deutschlands e.V.
V-Label-Vertrieb
Günter und Hildegund Scholvien
Tel. +49-6305-993108
Fax +49-6305-5256
E-Mail: v-label@vegetarierbund.de
Website: http://www.v-label.de
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