A project designed to raise awareness of protected food names in Europe has produced very positive results over three years, a breakfast reception in Brussels was told today.

The programme, run by Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales, is designed to educate consumers in France, Germany and Italy of the benefits of Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status.

Both Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef benefit from having been granted PGI status by the European Commission.

During today’s reception at the European Parliament, HCC Chairman Dai Davies said: “I am delighted that our work, co-funded by the European Commission, has resulted in a substantially increased awareness of the meaning and values of PGI in target countries.”

When the project started in 2010, consumer awareness of PGI in Germany stood at six per cent. By 2013 that had risen to 27 per cent.

In France awareness has increased from 14 per cent to 33 per cent over the same period, while Italy has seen consumer awareness increase from 34 per cent to 57 per cent.

“These results show that a properly orchestrated marketing campaign to raise consumer awareness about products carrying the PGI label really does work,” Mr Davies told guests at the Welsh breakfast reception organised by the Farmers’ Union of Wales.

“It means that consumers who see the PGI logo alongside the Welsh Lamb or Welsh Beef logos know that it is a genuine product produced to the highest possible standards in Wales – which helps drive sales of our products, bringing the wealth back to Wales.”

Mr Davies congratulated the FUW for organising the event, which was attended by politicians and policy officials from all over the EU.

“This is an excellent event to showcase the fine range and high quality of food that is produced in Wales,” he said.

PGI means that only sheep and cattle that are born and raised in Wales and slaughtered in HCC-approved abattoirs can legally be described as Welsh Lamb or Welsh Beef.

This story was originally published on a previous version of the Meat Management website and so there may be some missing images and formatting issues.