suite to numerous calls of concerned students parents

"Vaccinate... does not drool.". The formula, gleaned on the blog of Michel-Edouard Leclerc, summarizes quite well the complexity of the crisis management of avian influenza for the industry: "That are, indeed, information on health discourse with a goal of recovery of consumption" wondered the co-Chair of the sign.

Two types of communication have, until now, been considered to try to stem the fall in sales, estimated between 25 and 30 at the end of February. A European initiative focuses on the health aspects reminding that "the consumption of poultry does not risk", the other is French and is more commercial. The Government has thus released EUR 2 million to support the sector through a television campaign. "Who can imagine that such an operation will encourage the French to put the chicken to the pot" continues the Distributor on its site, showing work by region and respond to local contexts without "General speeches would be polluted from the next contamination."

For the time being, the professionals have their weapons to stop the boycott. "With the media relay and images of chickens euthanized in Asia, the consumer has made amalgam", said Alain Mélot, President of the French Association for poultry (LDV). As early as October, before even Europe is affected by the crisis, sales dropped 38, according to the information Centre (CIV) meat. All expected therefore a disaster as soon as the first cases were detected on the Continent. Relative good surprise: the slide has retained the same slope, or even resolved (around), when in Italy sales collapsed up to 60.

The VIC, which is figure of authority with his good knowledge of crisis mad cow and other shaking of the sheep, has been charged by the Government to manage the communication with the final consumer. Result: a distributed leaflets 8 million copies for individuals. Side signs, with a week launched promotional offer last "purchased a chicken, a chicken available" , system U has reduced the decline 5. At the time, Auchan has suit with farm chicken farmers, offering "two chicken farmers Red Label for the price of one". In Carrefour, it focuses on the animation of the rays and the quality of sets. "He must now leave health communication to the authorities and us devote to extol the qualities of the chicken with an emphasis on fun", advises the pattern of the AFV. Result: finished images of chicken raw, campaigns of farmers show more only poultry Golden on slice, like Agivers for farmers chickens of the Gers. They have swapped their slogan "high in the open air, in full Gers" by "is a light, it is safe." About LDC (the Gaul, farmers of leased), he replaced "shared confidence" by "taste found."

The fatalism of seniors

All this will suffice to convince consumers of the safety of poultry "The fear is irrational, note in system U, and those who fear don't buy anyway poultry." For others, the promotions are a boon. "A point that some customers, feeding another fear, that of Miss, have completed their freezer and exhausted stocks, causing the rumor that the distributors would restrict their linear.

In fact, all clients have not lost the appetite for chicken and other volatile. According to a BVA study on the behavior of the consumer crisis, 34 are confident, 30 concerned, and 34 panic. To reassure the latter, the information on the origin of the poultry and traceability would be paying. "Consumers are in the whole fairly mature", Jérôme Bédier, Chairman of the CDF note.

Most importantly, they begin to develop a certain habit of food crises. For evidence, some comments on the blogs: "We have already had chicken hormones", wrote, "it pass as mad cow disease", another note. On the forums, there is a detachment and a fatalism of seniors, a little bravado." "It is almost a non-event," Note Thierry Cazeville, founder of Seniorplanet leader.

Drawing the lessons of mad cow, actors form and inform their teams. System U thus implemented an intranet system with a "frequently asked questions" to reassure the 60,000 employees, and provide ad hoc responses to clients. The consumer "learn on the job", wants to believe Jean-Pierre Coffe, moderator on France Inter of "it is not food, it eats". "More speech is alarmist, the client is looking on the labels," opinion, holding that "in the end, such a crisis, if it is handled intelligently, could make actors accountable."

Remains to deal with the share of own to each crisis irrational and account for one third of French tempted to give in to panic. While media continually remind us that cooking destroys viruses, certain behaviours verge on the panic. Thus Joël Boutier, Groslay, in the Val-Mayor, who has been "suspend chicken in schools as a protection (...)". "suite to numerous calls of concerned students parents". Or this Parisian pharmacist who, playing to the fears, has exhibited in its showcase of respiratory masks "special avian influenza". Another coclass realization: distributors found that chicken sold in the cut or processed is better, as any which is really more like a chicken, as the cordon-bleu or the nuggets. "Processed products convey industrial trademark before that of the sector and to inspire confidence," said Thierry Cazeville.

Not cause suspicion

Need however more than statements and images of policies is fed poultry to the appetite to the French. "Advertising is made to sell." If you pass it to say "there is no danger", you cause suspicion. Not to mention that she did lose the benchmarks on the trades and sectors. A meat or a yogurt, this is not a mark. "Urban populations are totally disconnected from the realities of their diet," rebelled Louis Orenga, Director of the VIC.

In his view, the principle that the press informed and market promotion is totally outdated. Good management is leaving the trace of responsible behaviour in society, and only transparency through a strong proximity with consumers can be effective. The psychosociologue Danielle Rapoport considers essential to transform by information anxieties in fear: "With anxiety, emotional and irrational, it does control nothing." Fear to anchor in reality and allows to have a lever action. If the coverage generates fear, she, however, the beneficial effect of bringing knowledge. "Load clients to decide of their behaviour: to eat or not eat.