Trademarks – and what is behind them

Quality assurance systems already exist, but after the recent food safety scandals, consumers will require further guarantees of quality. Trade mark certificates which attest to constant, monitored, high quality, or to Hungarian origin should constitute such a guarantee. The Kiváló Magyar Élelmiszer trademark program has been operated successfully by FVM Magyar Közösségi Agrármarketing Centrum (AMC) Kht. for nine years. Products qualify for this trademark if they are marketed in Hungary, have at least one property which makes them superior to other similar products in their category and are comparable to products of excellent quality marketed in the EU. Today, 273 products of 61 companies bear this trademark. Among users of the trademark, we can see both small, specialised manufacturers and international corporations. Products of the meat and of the refrigerated goods industries are most numerous among these. Agricultural Marketing Centre uses money from the community marketing funds to finance advertising campaigns for the trademark. Competitiveness in both the domestic and the international market, excellent quality, and an environment-friendly production process are the criteria to be fulfilled by products aspiring to use the Magyar Termék Nagydíj® trademark. The term ”Nagydíj” stands for a classification based on a strict audit. Out of the 1000 products entered for the tender during the past ten years, 120 have been awarded the Magyar Termék Nagydíj® trademark. Tendering for the trademark certifying „Food with ingredients healthy for the heart” has been continuously organised by the Society for a Healthy Hungary. The primary objective of the Society is to disperse basic information regarding dietary habits beneficial to the heart among as many people as possible. 13 Hungarian companies established Magyar Termék Kht. in February 2006, to help restore the reputation of Hungarian products and labour by joint efforts in the field of communication. They have been making joint efforts to protect Hungarian products for years. 0,5 per cent of the revenues generated by products bearing the trademark is spent on their expenses. Imported products and private labels may not be awarded this trademark.