Interfresa and FEDEMCO join forces to fight against intrusions in commercial practices that harm both sectors

It has been detected that under the indication "Strawberry of Huelva" there are boxes which do not indicate producer, variety and origin as required by the European Community legislation.

The Inter-professional Association of the Andalusian Strawberry (INTERFRESA) and the Spanish Federation of Wooden Crates and their Components (FEDEMCO-GROW) have agreed to join forces to collaborate in the fight against intrusions in commercial practices, which affect consumer information, violate sanitary regulations, endanger consumer food safety, and enable unfair competition for the entire Huelva’s strawberry sector and the wood packaging industry.

In the talks held in Huelva to analyze the situation were present José Luis García-Palacios Álvarez INTERFRESAS’s president, Alberto Garrocho Robles FRESHUELVA’s president, Pedro Marín Andrés INTERFRESAS’s Manager and Alberto Palmí Alcober on behalf of FEDEMCO and FEFPEB (European Packaging Federation).

This commitment to mutual collaboration arises because "in the markets and commercial areas, it has been detected wooden crates and cardboard crates with the indication "Strawberry of Huelva" that do not indicate producer, variety and origin as required by the European Community legislation. This is a serious violation of the sanitary regulations and other requirements of traceability of both the fruit and the packaging. In addition, in the case of packaging, it is contrary to the rules concerning materials in contact with food ".

The first lines of work have been defined as a result of this first meeting. The commitment to sign a collaboration agreement between both organizations has already been reached. It will start with a campaign to inform and disseminate good commercial and hygiene practices in the commercialization of strawberries from Huelva. Their preparation and packaging in wooden boxes included.

Also, both associations acquire the compromise to follow, through a work commission, the preparation, the production and the labeling of the producer and the manufacturer.

Finally, in order to end the fraud that harms both sectors it is the intention of these organizations to pursue and report to the Health and Competition authorities to initiate inspections and collect evidence of such practices. That go against consumer rights, strawberry producers and packaging manufacturers.