Government invites agencies to pitch for Food Standards Agency profile campaign

The Government is planning to launch a campaign to raise the profile of the Food Standards Agency (FSA), the organisation set up three years ago to lobby on behalf of consumers fed up with food scares and supermarket price wars.

It is believed that COI Communications will invite agencies to pitch for the business some time later this month.

The brief is understood to include a campaign highlighting the dangers of food poisoning and making people aware of food hygiene.

The FSA, an organisation part-funded by the Government but otherwise independent, was set up in April 2000 in an attempt to restore public confidence in the UK’s troubled food industry following the foot-and-mouth crisis.

Last year, HHCL/Red Cell was appointed to develop an integrated campaign to promote better nutrition and tackle obesity among children and teenagers for the FSA.

The agency also launched a campaign last Christmas to highlight the dangers of not cooking turkeys properly. The TV ad showed a turkey jumping out from behind Christmas decorations and startling dad, who is relaxing watching television.

In the past, BMP DDB has created TV ads for the agency to talk about food hygiene issues.

The campaign included a TV ad showing chefs spreading bacteria by chopping raw meat on boards reserved for vegetables.