Foodwatch is a European advocacy group that focuses on protecting consumer rights[1] as they pertain to food quality.[2] The organization was founded in October 2002 in Berlin by former Greenpeace executive director Thilo Bode.[3][4] As of 2020[update], the organization is active in Germany, the Netherlands, France and Austria.[5] Foodwatch International, while handled as a separate unit, is legally a part of the German foodwatch association.[6]
 | |
| Founded | 2002 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Thilo Bode |
| Focus | Consumer rights |
| Location | |
Area served | Europe |
Key people | Jörg Rohwedder, president |
| Website | www |
In 2008, the organization reported that uranium concentrations in German tap water exceeded the permitted levels.[7]
An important aspect of Foodwatch's activities consists of investigating manufacturer claims in marketing campaigns and on packaging. Each year Foodwatch delivers the Goldener Windbeutel (German)/Gouden Windei (Dutch), given to the product whose packaging is the most misleading, as voted on by visitors to the website. In 2009 the award went to Actimel.[8] In the 2012 campaign, Foodwatch criticized Becel pro-active, a Unilever product which is supposed to lower the risk of coronary disease. Foodwatch demanded Unilever stop selling the product,[9] leading to considerable scrutiny of the product and countercriticism by the manufacturer.[10]
References
edit- ^ A German Battle over Food Labeling 18/04/2008 Business Week Magazine
- ^ Foodwatch: ¡ojo al bife! 18/10/2002 Deutsche Welle (in Spanish)
- ^ Greenpeace. Cambio de rumbo El Mundo (in Spanish)
- ^ El escándalo del nitrofeno vuelve a surgir en Alemania Archived 2011-07-22 at the Wayback Machine 06/11/2002 Consumer (in Spanish)
- ^ "About us". Foodwatch. Retrieved 2020-12-05.
- ^ "Our team". Foodwatch. Retrieved 2021-12-30.
- ^ Denuncian que el agua del grifo en Alemania contiene más uranio de lo permitido 05/08/2008 El Mundo (in Spanish)
- ^ Actimel: Premio a la mentira publicitaria más insolente 29/03/2009 Cantabria Liberal (in Spanish)
- ^ "Foodwatch eist verkoopstop Becel pro-activ via supermarkt". Algemeen Dagblad. 2 March 2012. Retrieved 8 June 2012.
- ^ Salehy, Nadine al (5 March 2012). "Kritiek Foodwatch op Becel pro-activ - VMT: Alles voor de foodprofessional". VMT. Archived from the original on 8 May 2012. Retrieved 8 June 2012.