Federal Association of the German Spirits Industry and Importers

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Federal Association of the German Spirits Industry and Importers e. V.
(BSI)
purpose Representation of interests for the German spirits industry
Chair: President: Thomas Ernst (August Ernst GmbH & Co. KG), as of December 2018
Establishment date: 5th December 1974
Number of members: 42 companies,
36 supporting members,
4 affiliated state associations with 76 extraordinary members
Seat : Bonn
Website: www.spirituosen-verband.de

The Federal Association of the German Spirits Industry and Importers (BSI) is the umbrella organization of the German spirits industry in the legal form of a registered association based in Bonn .

Externally, the association, founded in 1974, represents the economic and political interests of spirits manufacturers, processors, importers and sales companies vis-à-vis parliament, government and authorities at federal and state level, in the EU and internationally, and conducts public relations work . It offers legal advice and other services for its member companies. The association maintains an office in Bonn and since 1998 an office in Brussels and is the on the official list Bundestag registered lobby groups listed.

membership

The federal association has 42 company members and looks after four regional associations: the regional association of the Bavarian spirits industry e. V. , the Association of Spirits Manufacturers Hamburg / Schleswig-Holstein e. V. , the Association of the Central German Spirits Industry e. V. (VSI) and the regional group of West German spirits producers with a total of approx. 75 additional members. According to its own information, the BSI represents around 90 percent of sales on the German spirits market through its predominantly medium-sized member companies . In addition, 34 companies that are related to the spirits industry, such as glass manufacturers or logistics partners, are listed as supporting members.

The BSI itself is a member of numerous German professional and umbrella associations, including the German Food Association , the Brands Association and the Central Association of the German Advertising Industry , as well as the European umbrella association Spirits Europe (formerly European Spirits Organization - CEPS ). He also cooperates with the Association of German Whiskey Distillers .

public relation

With the annual publication Data from the Alcohol Industry, the association provides current statistics on the industry and on alcohol consumption in Germany and the EU. The BSI always points out the significantly higher taxation of spirits ( spirits tax , possibly also alcopop tax ) compared to beer ( beer tax ) and, above all, wine , which is not subject to any consumption tax (unlike sparkling wine , which in turn has a sparkling wine tax will be charged).

In public, the BSI and most of its member companies advocate moderate and enjoyable alcohol consumption, supported since 2009 by the “Enjoy in moderation” logo. 82% of the member companies include corresponding consumer protection notices in their advertising. For several years now, the BSI has been appearing primarily with prevention campaigns against alcohol abuse in order to counter the growing pressure on the industry. At EU level in particular, efforts intensified in the mid-2000s to implement far-reaching restrictions on the alcohol industry as part of the “anti-alcohol strategy” that was set up until 2012, including advertising bans, alcohol limits, warnings on bottles and tax increases. According to a Spiegel report, manufacturers feared that "the alcohol industry could be where the cigarette industry was three decades ago: at the beginning of a long trek into exile." Against this background, the BSI founded the alcohol and responsibility working group in 2005 ( short AAuV). According to its own statements, the committee develops “sustainable prevention and self-regulation measures for the responsible use of alcoholic beverages”. This includes a voluntary commitment by the member companies not to target their advertising measures at young people, for example by refraining from advertising with models under the age of 25 in accordance with the rules of the European umbrella association CEPS (since 2009), not offering certain packaging such as tubes or sprays (since 2010) or only place advertising measures in the media or in an environment in which more than 70% of consumers are adults (since 2010). Other measures include the campaign, which was launched in 2005, to speak clearly! for families, as well as guides on avoiding alcohol during pregnancy and dealing with alcohol problems in the workplace. The former drug commissioner of the federal government , Mechthild Dyckmans , praised the campaigns of the BSI.

However, the BSI strictly rejects stricter regulation of the German spirits market, which, according to BSI managing director Angelika Wiesgen-Pieck, is still the most liberal in Europe. Statutory advertising restrictions, warning notices on spirits packaging (similar to warning notices on tobacco products), the further increase in the price of alcohol-containing products or drinking bans in public places are not suitable for preventing abusive alcohol consumption, the proportion of which is estimated by the association at 15% of total consumption. The association has positioned itself against nocturnal sales stops for spirits at petrol stations, as introduced by Baden-Württemberg in 2012. Rather, the employees of sales outlets should be better trained and supported in complying with existing youth protection regulations. To this end, the BSI launched a “youth protection training initiative” back in 2007 and at the time also clearly distanced itself from “flat rate” or “all-you-can-drink” parties. The member companies of the BSI undertook to influence restaurants and discotheques to prevent such offers that encourage abuse.

See also

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Presidium. In: spirituosen-verband.de. December 5, 1974. Retrieved December 31, 2018 .
  2. ↑ a b c Our members: Federal Association of the German Spirits Industry and Importers e. V. (BSI). In: spirituosen-verband.de. Accessed December 31, 2018 .
  3. ↑ Public list of the associations registered with the Bundestag and their representatives (PDF; 7.0 MB) ( Memento from October 17, 2013 in the Internet Archive ), official version from May 2012, accessed on October 13, 2012.
  4. ↑ a b Info leaflet Introducing the BSI , as of June 15, 2012.
  5. ↑ www.massvoll-geniessen.de , accessed on March 27, 2014.
  6. ↑ Jürgen Dahlkamp, ​​Simone Kaiser, Udo Ludwig: Lobbyists: The first slice of salami In: Der Spiegel 40/2006 of October 2, 2006, accessed on October 26, 2012.
  7. ↑ BSI press release ( memento of March 28, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) of October 2, 2010, accessed on October 26, 2012.
  8. ↑ BSI managing director Angelika Wiesgen-Pick on October 11, 2012 at the bar and spirits fair Bar Convent Berlin .
  9. ↑ Data and facts on alcohol policy , official website of the BSI, accessed on March 27, 2014.
  10. ↑ Spirits industry is forming against sales stops . Online portal Der Westen from June 19, 2012, accessed on October 13, 2012.