Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

Decisions on marketing campaigns are primarily a matter for Bord Bia. In this case I understand that Bord Bia considered that a fresh approach was needed to raise customer awareness and transparency on the origin of food and supplier information when eating out. Féile Bia membership, which peaked at 1,500 food service outlets, had decreased in recent years to very low levels of participants. In addition, questions had been raised about its effectiveness.

The Just Ask campaign aims to encourage and empower consumers, when eating out, to ask for information on where the food on their plate, particularly meat, comes from and to encourage restaurants to provide this information on their menus. The marketing activities for the Just Ask campaign, which was launched in March, include targeted national and local radio and press advertising, on-line and print media activities and promotions targeting chefs directly. Research to date carried out by Bord Bia shows that over a third of the target group interviewed are aware of the Just Ask campaign and say it would encourage them to ask where their meats are coming from when eating out. That would indicate that Bord Bia's public awareness campaign is having a good impact at an early stage.

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