EVA outraged by EC statements on school vending

Published: 09 January, 2009

The European Vending Association (EVA) was outraged by recent statements from European Agriculture Commissioner Fischer Boel suggesting to ‘kick out vending machines' (from schools) and replace them by machines with fruit and vegetables. Her commentary was made during the School Fruit Scheme before some 300 participants and many hundreds of viewers of the Internet stream.

"We find this remark discriminatory of a highly professional sector of the European economy", said EVA's Director General, Catherine Piana. "There is no single scientific argument to back such assertions. The only country where vending machines have been banned from schools, i.e. France, the impact has been to put a few vending operators out of business. There was no effect on obesity levels".

For the EVA, the vending industry is not the problem but part of the solution, by offering a vast choice of products. Demonising a whole economic sector as Ms Fischer Boel did, will not help find a solution to a complex issue such as obesity.

"Machines are unattended shops. Banning them won't mean that young people will lead a balanced life. In the UK where certain products have been banned from schools, pupils brought them in from home, and a black market for ‘banned products' has been seen flourishing. We hope that Ms Fischer Boel's recommendation will not be included in the implementing guidelines of the School Fruit Scheme", Catherine concluded.

The EVA is a founder Member of the EU Platform for Diet, Physical Activity and Health, and is committed to offering choice in schools. EVA Members have been launching reformulated products and specific programmes like Selecta's ‘Balanced Choice' and Lyovel's ‘Fruits et Bien-être'.

www.vending-europe.eu

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