Products sold under the same name in Germany and the Czech Republic contain different ingredients and differ in taste.
It turns out, however, that we are still far from the ideal. As Radio Prague notes, differences exist even in the taste of ordinary sausages. It was food products that became the subject of a study conducted by the Food and Agriculture Chamber of the Czech Republic, the company Ahold, as well as an analysis initiated by Czech MEP from the Social Democratic Party, Olga Sehnalová. The experts focused on products of the same brands available in both German and Czech stores. The result is clear: as a popular saying goes, "they are like chalk and cheese."
The comparative analysis showed that, for example, yogurts and margarine 'Rama' bought in Germany had higher fat content. In the Czech Republic, the coffee sold contained a third more caffeine. Lemonade in Germany is sweetened with sugar, and in the Czech Republic with fructose-glucose syrup.
What is the reason that a product sold under the same name in Germany and the Czech Republic contains different ingredients or, at the very least, their proportions differ?
"Differences between Western and Eastern Europe, as argued today, can be seen in a number of areas. This applies not only to food products, which in Western countries are of higher quality than in the Czech Republic," comments Herta Mazalová, Chairwoman of the Consumer Protection Association. "One can recall many things we cannot match not only with Germany but also with other Western European countries – for example, in wages, pensions, and so on. However, thanks to new European Union rules on product labeling, consumers today are better informed about the composition of food products."
Since December 13, 2014, packaging must include more accurate and consumer-friendly information. An EU regulation establishes a list of mandatory and voluntary data. Voluntary information must also be truthful and not mislead the buyer. Therefore, consumers have the opportunity and have already learned to determine exactly what they are buying. For example, which chocolate they choose – with a higher or lower cocoa content. The question remains how consumers evaluate the taste of chocolate with a higher cocoa content – it is more bitter. It is necessary to take into account the taste qualities of the product, not just the composition."
The aforementioned purchasing power of Czech citizens, which is lower than in Germany, naturally influences the quality of food products offered by stores. However, prices in Czech stores are not lower than German ones, and often higher, and the quality of food products also differs for the worse. "We must not forget about differences in VAT rates and margins charged by traders. I would say that it is the consumer who must assess and decide what they want to buy," emphasizes Herta Mazalová, Chairwoman of the Consumer Protection Association.
President of the Food and Agriculture Chamber, Miroslav Toman, believes that the difference in composition of products of the same brand in different countries is related to the desire to obtain maximum profit: "A substitute is cheaper than quality raw materials. By reducing the meat content, I reduce the cost of production, but I can sell it at a higher price. We must realize that the products of so-called 'global brands' sold in the Czech Republic are produced in Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria. However, what is sold in Germany, of the same brands, is made directly in Germany or in one of the old member states of the European Union. These producers have their own recipes, established technology, and they will not allow themselves to cheat customers."
"The pressure from retail chains is so great that even 'global brand' companies change the composition of products. You can hear explanations that they follow taste preferences in specific regions, which I consider nonsense. Everyone prefers sugar to artificial sweeteners, everyone prefers real meat to separated mass," believes President of the Food and Agriculture Chamber Miroslav Toman.
Is it possible to achieve that the quality of food products sold in the Czech Republic reaches the German level? "It is possible. It can be achieved through constant pressure from both producers and, above all, consumers. The buyer determines everything. Quality improvement is possible if preference is given to Czech products, which are under constant control. Quality in our country is guaranteed by several quality marks – regional ones or from the Food Chamber. The results of inspections of our products by control authorities show the amount of substandard products identified at 1%. For foreign products, it ranges from 7 to 12%, depending on the type."
In assessing the quality of directly Czech food products, Miroslav Toman agrees with the opinion of the Chairwoman of the Consumer Protection Association Herta Mazalová: "We have high-quality and very tasty products. I would say that thanks to our Czech and Moravian producers, some of our products are of higher quality than in Western Europe. Everyone knows that our requirements are significantly stricter than outside our borders. Food products are not only safe but also very good in taste. I would say that for a general improvement in the quality of products sold in our stores, it is necessary to increase the number of control raids and expand the inspection staff. Fraudsters are very afraid of our audits. Naturally, it is also necessary to increase fines for violations."