The consumption of juices and nectars in the European Union reached 9.6 billion litres in 2015, with Spain representing almost 10% of the total. Thus, the country consumed 941 million litres last year, according to the report of the European Fruit Juice Association (AIJN). With these figures, Spain remains the fourth largest consumer of juices and nectars in the EU, behind Germany, France and the United Kingdom.
Last year, Spain exported 754,686 tonnes of juices and nectars worth 593 million Euro, as announced in the "Seminar on quality and innovation in the juices and nectars sector", organised by the Spanish Association of Juice Manufacturers (Asozumos) And the Juices and Nectars Self-control Association (AEAZN).
The Spanish juice and nectar sector consists of more than 50 companies, including packers of ready-to-drink products and raw material processors, which employ more than 4,000 people and generate another ten thousand indirect jobs.
At the start of the seminar, the president of AEAZN, Ricardo Moreno, highlighted "the importance of quality for Spain's entire juices and nectars sector," which is constantly carrying out analyses of its products. "It's what consumers demand today," he stated.
This statement was supported by Juan Julián García, executive director of the Spanish Agency for Consumer Affairs, Food Safety and Nutrition (AECOSAN), who highlighted the sector's commitment to society, stressing the importance of providing information to consumers through the foods' labelling, with particular emphasis on the forthcoming implementation (from 13 December) of the mandatory nutritional information, provided for in Regulation 1169/2011 of the European Parliament, which will serve to collect, update and improve the food labelling requirements," he assured.
For García, "this nutritional information which will now have to be provided is considered a key tool, as it helps in educating the public about nutritional aspects, thereby allowing the consumer to make informed decisions."
There was also a presentation of the European campaign Fruit Juice Matters, which will be carried out in 14 countries across the continent. It is backed by scientific evidence and has the support of prestigious national and international nutritionists. Its main goal is to provide accurate and truthful information on the benefits of a moderate consumption of fruit juice as part of a healthy lifestyle and a balanced diet.
