Accounting for Taste: Contested Accountability Regulation in Food

 

Methodology: 

The project consisted of 4 inter-related phases:

Phase I: Understanding how the context of food regulation has been developing at the EU level.

Phase II: With the UK FSA as the central focus, execution of a national study similar to that of phase I.

Phase III: Regulatory case studies (detailed supply chain examination): conventional and organic supply chains in the fresh fruit & vegetable and the red meat sectors.

Phase IV: Major outputs and conferences and understanding the context of food regulation in an international arena.

 

Various complementary research methods were used in this project. Firstly, the conceptual discussion is the product of extensive documentary research and was informed particularly by earlier work done by Marsden et al. (2000) and published in their book entitled "Consuming interests: the social provision of foods", as well as by Ulrich Beck’s "Risk society: towards a new modernity" (1992). This extensive examination of secondary material allowed the development of a clear understanding of the driving forces for change in the food safety regulatory framework in the UK, their aims and impacts, as well as the path that future development is likely to follow. With recognition that compliance with European Commission level decisions was beginning to have a strong impact on food safety policies within the UK, the first stage of the research was followed by a second stage, which attempted to understand the food safety policy-making process in Brussels in 2002.

To do this, we began by identifying a number of key Europe-wide, umbrella-type, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), as well as the Directorates-General (DGs) of the European Commission that were most closely associated with food and consumer issues, for expert interviews. For data collection and analysis purposes, these important centres of relevant information, influence and opinion were categorised under three headings: consumer/social interests, private interests, and regulatory/public bodies. We then proceeded to conduct careful desk research on each potential interviewee, compiling notes on their activities, aims and objectives, the extent of their pan-EU membership, their current concerns, their involvement in accountability and regulation issues, and the links they have established with other bodies. Using this information, we shortlisted some key food policy related NGOs and Directorates-General in Brussels and proceeded to set up appointments to interview their most senior line officer(s) or a designated representative. In all, interviews were arranged with 13 of these umbrella organisations, and before visiting Brussels, we collected samples of the publications produced by each organisation including reports, press releases, newsletters and fact sheets. The list of organisations interviewed in the first phase included:

Consumer/social interests:

  • Eurogroup for Animal Welfare

  • Eurocoop

  • European Food Information Council (EUFIC)

  • European Consumers’ Organisation (BEUC)

  • Greenpeace European Unit

Private interests:

  • COPA-COGECA

  • Eurocommerce

  • Confederation of the Food & Drink Industries of the EU (CIAA)

  • Freshfel Europe

Regulatory/public bodies:

  • DG: Health & Consumer Protection

  • DG: Agriculture

  • DG: Trade

  • European Food Law Association (EFLA)

Through qualitative analysis of the interviews, we were able to compile a database of the major themes that emerged and relate them to the interactions of interests.

Data collection for the second phase involved identifying UK-wide, key organisations belonging to regulatory/public, private interests and consumer/social interest groups closely associated with food and consumer issues, and carrying out a series of face-to-face and telephone interviews.

Interviews were conducted with 8 private interest organisations, 3 regulatory interest organisations and 9 consumer and social interest organisations.

Private Interest organisations:

  • British Retail Consortium

  • Unilever

  • National Farmers' Union

  • Somerfield

  • Sainsbury’s

  • Northern Foods

  • Heinz UK

  • ASDA

Regulatory Interest Organisations

  • Gloucester City Council

  • LACOTS

  • DEFRA

Consumer & Social Interest Organisations

  • UK Food Standards Agency

  • RSPCA

  • Sustain

  • The Soil Association

  • Compassion in World Farming Trust

  • Consumers' Association

  • Friends of the Earth UK

  • Greenpeace UK

  • National Consumer Federation

Data collection for the third phase of this research involved identifying Europe-wide, key organisations dealing in the fresh fruit and vegetable (FFV) sector. A series of face-to-face interviews were carried out in the UK and in Belgium. The organisations interviewed included four leading retailers from the UK, a UK farmer, three fresh vegetable auctions in Belgium and a certification body from Belgium. The list of organisations interviewed in the third phase of the research included:

  • ASDA - Major UK retailer

  • Budgens - UK retailer specialising in FFV

  • MACK Services - Supplier of FFV

  • Waitrose - Major UK retailer

  • J E Piccaver - UK farmer growing salad crops

  • Mechelse Veilingen - Belgian FFV auction

  • REO Veilingen - Belgian FFV auction

  • Calsa - Belgian FFV auction

  • Integra - Belgian certifying body

A similar data collection procedure was adopted in the third phase to collect data regarding the red meat sector. Two organisations were interviewed in the red meat sector:

  • Hybu Cig Cymru

  • Meat and Livestock Commission

The fourth phase of the research involved identifying international organisations that are most closely associated with food regulation, accountability and consumer issues for expert interviews, with an aim to generate comparative presentation(s) of regulation and accountability dynamics within the food supply chains in an international context. The organisations interviewed in this phase include:

  • World Trade Organisation (WTO)

  • The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)
         - ADG Agriculture
         - International Plant Protection Convention Secretariat
         - Food Quality and Standards Service
         - Food and Nutrition Division

  • World Health Organisation (WHO)

  • International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) 

 

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© 2012 The ESRC Centre for Business Relationships, Accountability, Sustainability and Society