European Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance (ESSNA) Case Study

Client Profile and Issue

ESSNA is a Trade Association representing the specialist product sector of the Sports Nutrition industry in Europe. It comprises members who have sales & marketing interests in specialist sports nutrition products in most of the Member States of Europe.

The organisation was established in 2003 to ensure that potentially threatening EU legislation on sports supplements was amended and to develop the image and profile of the sector. The legislation would have set unnecessarily low maximum permitted levels for popular products as well as set up a positive list system for particular ingredients. The latter would have meant that some existing products would have needed removing from the shelves, and that new product development and innovation would have been stifled.

Our Strategy

As a new organisation it was first of all vitally important to build profile and to develop key messages. The Whitehouse Consultancy helped ESSNA members understand the European regulatory environment and supported them in putting together position statements on issues of import.

Once the ESSNA position had been agreed it was important to communicate this quickly to senior UK officials, Ministers, UK and European Parliamentarians and officials in the European Commission.

ESSNA explained the flaws in the draft regulation and ensured that pressure was brought to bear from a range of decision-makers prior to the European Commission deciding on its own work plan. The aim was to demonstrate to the Commission that it would have a political problem if the flawed legislation were brought forward as drafted.

Outcome

By winning the support of the UK government and key MEPs as well as pressure from within the UK Parliament ESSNA ensured that the proposal was stopped pending industry agreement. ESSNA is now working with the wider industry movement to ensure that any legislation which is brought forward is proportionate and not damaging to small and medium sized enterprises.

ESSNA is presently expanding its remit to work with the World Anti Doping Agency, UNESCO and others in developing a kite-marking scheme for sports supplements to ensure that consumers are fully and adequately protected.