ZAGREB, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Croatian member of the European Parliament Biljana Borzan presented on Wednesday in Brussels a survey on the differences of the same products sold on the eastern and western European markets, according to a summary published on her website.
Results of the survey initiated by Biljana Borzan on the quality of same products sold in Croatia and Germany were published early this month. It revealed that more than half of the surveyed products are of poorer quality and more expensive in Croatia than in Germany.
"At the beginning of this research people told me not to go into this project. They said it is the battle between David and Goliath and that I couldn't overtake multinationals companies, but my survey has had a strong and positive response, both on the political level and among the companies," Borzan said on Wednesday at the conference in the European Parliament.
The representative of the Association of Brands, Alain Galaski, tried to challenge Croatian research, arguing that the difference was due to consumers' taste and insufficient communication with the producer.
However, Borzan replied that results had been published in the media and that she had written to the companies. A major baby food brand has decided to relaunch one of its products after jars sold in eastern Europe were found to contain a lower proportion of vegetables and an omega-3 source compared with same branded product sold in western Europe. That, according to Borzan, is a clear proof that the results are accurate.
Vera Jourova, European Commission's senior official responsible for justice and consumer rights, attended the conference and announced further investments in similar surveys.
"In the next year, a million-euro joint EU research center should be established and with additional one million euros national research on product testing would be funded," Vera Jourova said.
