New GGN Label Launches at Spanish Retailer EROSKI

The GGN label, GLOBALG.A.P.’s consumer-facing initiative, is launching across the fruit and vegetable category with Spanish retailer EROSKI. Under their own “EROSKI Natur” brand, the retailer will become the first-ever to offer the combination of fruit and vegetables and aquaculture products with the GGN label under one roof. The label will be rolled out in stores across the country from March.

GGN label momentum growing across Europe

The new-look, cross-category GGN label for aquaculture, flowers, ornamentals, and fruit and vegetables from certified production processes was launched in 2021 and continues to grow across Europe. EROSKI became the first retailer in Spain to join the GGN label initiative in 2018, and this year another milestone will be achieved when it becomes the first retailer to adopt the new cross-category GGN label for both aquaculture and fruit and vegetables.

The new-look label has also been welcomed across different categories elsewhere in Europe, with retailers in Germany and the UK now offering labeled aquaculture and flowers and ornamentals products in stores.

EROSKI as a pioneer of products with the GGN label

Since 2018, EROSKI has offered aquaculture products with the GGN label at the fresh fish counter. In 2020, the retailer labeled 1000 metric tons of produce – including the species meager, seabream, seabass, turbot, Atlantic salmon, and shrimps – rising to 1460 metric tons in 2021.

Building on this success and with clear demand from consumers, the further adoption of the GGN label in the fruit and vegetable sector will include a diverse range of products such as bananas, strawberries, and broccoli. This encompasses fresh goods from over 40 producers representing 14 GGN label license holders.

Featuring exclusively on the “EROSKI Natur” brand which already contains over 500 products from certified production processes, the GGN label will help the retailer to further demonstrate its commitment to responsible farming on store shelves. Alejandro Martínez Berriochoa, Health and Sustainability Director at EROSKI, commented on the decision to adopt the GGN label in the fruit and vegetable category: “At EROSKI we work to permanently improve the environmental and social sustainability standards of all the processes of the value chain, from the origin of production to store operations. The promotion of a more sustainable diet is part of our 10 Health and Sustainability Commitments.”

360-degree communication boosts responsible farming visibility

As part of a wider communication strategy on responsible farming, EROSKI is offering consumers a 360-degree approach, which includes not only the GGN label logo on product packaging but also a multimedia campaign and in-store promotional materials.

In addition to this, the GGN label portal will be further promoted by Eroski, enabling consumers to trace products back to their roots. Every producer with GLOBALG.A.P. certification is registered in the public database and identified by a unique 13-digit GLOBALG.A.P. Number (GGN). The GGN opens up all the relevant traceability information for online verification.

The GGN Label team has worked with EROSKI on several communication efforts in the past, and this collaboration demonstrates how retailers and certification schemes can join forces to publicize supply chain transparency and responsible farming practices.

About GLOBALG.A.P.

GLOBALG.A.P. is a brand of smart farm assurance solutions developed by FoodPLUS GmbH in Cologne, Germany, with cooperation from producers, retailers, and other stakeholders from across the food industry. These solutions include a range of standards for safe, socially, and environmentally responsible farming practices. The most widely used GLOBALG.A.P. standard is Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA), applicable to fruit and vegetables, aquaculture, floriculture, livestock, and more. This standard also forms the basis for the GGN label: The consumer label for certified, responsible farming and transparency.

The GLOBALG.A.P. brand began its journey as EUREPGAP in 1997. 25 years later, over 200,000 producers have GLOBALG.A.P. certification in 134 countries. Nearly 150 team members around the world are dedicated to the mission of spreading responsible farming practices to ensure safe food for future generations.

www.globalgap.org

About the GGN label

The GGN label is the consumer label from GLOBALG.A.P., standing for certified, responsible farming and transparency. Found on both packed and loose products, the GGN label exists to offer consumers consistently, relevant assurance and orientation throughout the store.

All products bearing the GGN label originate from processes that have been independently certified as being socially and environmentally responsible according to strict criteria from the GLOBALG.A.P. standards. This confirms that the products were farmed in line with responsible farming practices that cover food safety, environmental protection, animal welfare, social responsibility, and supply chain transparency.

By promoting these standards, the GGN label supports worldwide sustainable development for the good of current and future generations and our planet.

www.ggn.org

About Eroski

EROSKI is the first cooperative distribution group in Spain and one of the leaders in the North of the Spanish market (Galicia, the Basque Country, Navarra, Catalonia, and the Balearic Islands). Its commercial network amounts to 1,624 establishments, including supermarkets, hypermarkets, and cash & carry, in addition to gas stations, opticians, travel offices, and sports equipment stores and its online supermarket. Likewise, it has more than 6 million Customer Members and more than 33,000 cooperative members, workers, and franchisees.

www.eroski.es