The promotion of fresh potatoes in the UK is to be boosted by additional funding from the European Union.
This follows an application for co-financing of a European programme for the promotion of fresh potatoes, made jointly by the UK, France and Belgium. This is the first bid by the three countries and will see Potato Council’s levy payers benefit from an additional €0.81 million investment on a promotional campaign over three years.
Potato Council has a targeted marketing strategy focusing on low consumers of potatoes. This European programme will provide additional resources and promote a consistent message across the three member states. It will introduce a range of tools to communicate with and appeal to the specific audience of young consumers.
The campaign will commence in the UK with a dedicated ‘Potato Day’ in October, which will run again in 2011 and 2012 to maximise awareness, and be sustained by activity to give potatoes a renewed image for modern day living.
Caroline Evans, head of marketing and corporate affairs for Potato Council, said: “This is fantastic news for the GB potato industry and of course, the team that have worked on submitting the extensive bid over the last twelve months.
“Consumption patterns across Europe show that younger generation are eating fewer potatoes and this must be addressed if the potato industry is to remain robust. The joint bid with France and Belgium for funding across a shared marketing programme means we can be far more effective in delivering key messages and securing strong demand for fresh potatoes.“
