The sports activities and energetic diet trade in Europe skilled a 12 months of change from a political and coverage perspective in 2024.
With the EU elections taking middle stage this 12 months, EU policymakers labored to both wrap up, make progress or delay various coverage initiatives of relevance for the sector at a time when the political agenda was aimed toward making the meals system more healthy and extra sustainable for European shoppers.
Within the aftermath of the elections and the graduation of a brand new European Fee and a brand new set of coverage priorities for the following 5 years anticipated to be unveiled in February 2025, the large questions for the trade are: Will the general public well being and sustainability elements of meals coverage nonetheless be on coverage makers’ agenda and what subsequent 12 months holds for the sports activities meals sector?
Key developments in sports activities meals: advertising and marketing, composition and novel meals
This 12 months noticed progress on a number of regulatory fronts that instantly influence the composition and advertising and marketing of sports activities meals.
1. Ranges of nutritional vitamins and minerals in focus
The European Meals Security Authority (EFSA) accomplished the evaluate of its scientific opinions on higher ranges of nutritional vitamins and minerals in meals and meals dietary supplements.
This work was notably related for the sports activities and energetic diet sector, as it’s going to affect product formulation. The critiques stem from a renewed push by the European Fee to ascertain EU-wide most permitted ranges (MPLs) for nutritional vitamins and minerals—work that had been dormant for almost twenty years.
Nonetheless, regardless of EFSA’s enter, work on the Fee’s facet to outline a calculation methodology to derive MPLs has been progressing slowly, leaving uncertainty in regards to the subsequent steps.
What we all know is {that a} public session will probably be open in spring 2025, giving the sector a chance to marketing campaign for sound ranges that don’t influence the trade.
In parallel with this initiative, France has additionally launched proposed new MPLs for meals dietary supplements, that are typically a lot decrease than the present ones.
The Netherlands amended its MPL for vitamin B6 in meals dietary supplements but additionally introduced work on MPLs in different meals, together with sports activities diet merchandise.
2. Vitamin and Well being Claims Regulation (NHCR)
In 2024, we additionally noticed an essential growth concerning the Vitamin and Well being Claims Regulation (NHCR), which is the principle framework for speaking the advantages of sports activities meals.
In early 2024, the European Parliament revealed its personal initiative report—which isn’t legally binding—recommending updates to the regulation. Notable proposals embody:
• Introducing nutrient profiles to limit well being and diet claims on meals excessive in fats, sugar and salt (HFSS).
• Resolving the long-standing situation of well being claims for botanicals, which have been “on maintain” for years.
• Limiting claims associated to “no added sugars,” which may influence advertising and marketing methods for a lot of sports activities merchandise.
The Fee responded to this report, mentioning the opportunity of addressing the Parliament’s suggestions primarily based on the priorities of the brand new Fee but refraining from offering extra detailed info on the following steps.
3. Novel meals steering
EFSA additionally issued new steering on the scientific necessities for authorizing novel meals. That is notably essential for sports activities diet firms, as novel meals laws within the EU stays complicated.
Understanding and navigating these guidelines will probably be important for companies trying to innovate and produce new merchandise to market.
Sustainability: regulatory developments to observe
Sustainability remained a key theme in 2024, with important progress on regulatory initiatives that can influence the sports activities meals sector. The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPRW), the Directive on Empowering Customers within the Inexperienced Transition and the Company Sustainability Due Diligence Directive have been formally adopted. Work additionally continued on the Inexperienced Claims Directive and the Waste Framework Directive, with negotiations anticipated all through 2025.
These measures intention to combine sustainability throughout the meals chain, from manufacturing to distribution, advertising and marketing and waste administration. Sports activities diet companies should put together to adapt to the brand new necessities, which is able to seemingly have an effect on product design, claims and general operations.
What does 2025 maintain for the trade?
With the EU getting into a brand new coverage cycle, the way forward for meals and diet regulation is taking form. Right here’s what ESSNA anticipates as the principle drivers and developments for 2025:
1. A brand new Imaginative and prescient for Agriculture and Meals
The European Fee plans to launch its Imaginative and prescient for Agriculture and Meals throughout the first 100 days of its new mandate. This imaginative and prescient is predicted to form the broader regulatory panorama, and sports activities meals companies ought to keep engaged to make sure their wants are addressed.
2. Evolving client info
There are speculations that the Fee might contemplate reviewing the EU meals labeling laws specializing in the usage of digital instruments to help provisions of voluntary info to shoppers.
We might also see an curiosity in evaluating present nationwide guidelines on the advertising and marketing of HFSS meals and a possible EU proposal on this.
Nonetheless, the Fee’s Political Tips, which have been revealed final September, didn’t make any reference to the function of diet in public well being, so a query stays on whether or not this will probably be deprioritized within the new mandate.
3. Sustainability transition and competitiveness
The Fee has indicated its intent to scale back administrative burdens and increase competitiveness through the trade’s sustainability transition. Nonetheless, the rapid focus will stay on implementing current European Inexperienced Deal measures quite than introducing new laws.
4. MPLs for nutritional vitamins and minerals
In 2025, we are going to study whether or not the Fee has sufficient help to maneuver forward with MPLs for meals, together with sports activities diet merchandise and meals dietary supplements.
France has been adamant that it’s going to push forward with its restrictions no matter EU harmonization. 2025 will probably be a check for such willpower within the face of many years of EU case legislation.
Because the sports activities diet sector navigates this evolving panorama, engagement and proactive campaigns will probably be important.
ESSNA is dedicated to making sure that EU laws stays match for objective, supporting innovation and trade development and primarily based on members’ priorities, and will probably be finishing up focused public affairs campaigns throughout Europe to realize this.
Corporations and organizations concerned with discovering out extra and shaping the way forward for the sector can get in contact with ESSNA at information@essna.com
