Ágnes Kovacz (13.-14.11.2017)

The behaviour of European consumers has been undergoing gradual change. They require not only much higher dietary, hygienic and health standards in the products they buy, but also look for certification and reassurance of products’ origins and production methods. The quality is of the primary importance. The consumer awareness is reflected in the demand for products with individual characteristics due to specific production methods, composition or origin. Thus in the whole EU, there is a trend of increasing needs for the value added, special, high quality food products. So, new agro-food policy of EU is orientated in this direction. The increased freedom of movement of goods has certainly helped to make available a much wider variety of products from all over Europe, creating also a need for better consumer information. As each EU country, Hungary also possesses a remarkable heritage of agricultural commodities and foods with old traditions and local manufacturing methods, excellent quality products, products having a special, particular or unique character. In order to improve Hungary’s competitiveness, the use of trademarks and labels indicating geographical specialities and guaranteeing special quality, is becoming extremely important. The protection of these traditions means also the protection of our future.