European VLCD Industry Group Case Study

Client Profile and Issue

The European Very Low Calorie Diet (VLCD) Industry Group is the European trade body for manufacturers and distributors of VLCD products which provide weight loss programmes for the very overweight and obese. Members of the Group currently operate predominantly in the Netherlands, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Poland.

The VLCD Industry Group has identified a number of regulatory issues which have a bearing on formula slimming products including low calorie diets, meal replacements, and very low calorie diets and therefore wanted to ensure any such legislation is appropriate and proportionate and that such products are not disadvantaged compared to other similar products covered by different legislation.

Of particular concern for the Group has been the proposed EU Regulation on Nutrition and Health Claims which would potentially prohibition any claims making reference to the rate of weight loss claims. Since VLCDs are the sole source of nutrition in the diet it is possible to communicate rate of weight loss and the Group feels that manufacturers should be able to do so where they can demonstrate the accuracy of that claim.

Our Strategy

The Whitehouse Consultancy has provided the VLCD Industry Group with comprehensive monitoring service of all the key policy developments both in the EU and the UK and communicated the position of the VLCD Industry group to European and UK Parliamentarians, officials in the European Commission, senior UK officials and Ministers.

Outcome

The European VLCD Industry Group has now significantly boosted its profile and has established dialogue with various decision makers both in the EU and UK.

The Whitehouse Consultancy successfully ensured that key amendments for VLCD Industry Group were voted through in the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee of the European Parliament.