EU to address 'dual food' quality to bridge east-west divide

Brussels hopes to heal rifts with eastern member states by tackling one of their biggest concerns: that inferior versions of products from chocolate spread to washing powder are being sold in former Communist bloc countries. In his annual state of the union speech on Wednesday Jean-Claude Juncker, European Commission president, will offer support to the likes of Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Hungary, which have long complained that their consumers are sold poorer quality consumer products - from food to cosmetics - under the same brands and packaging used in western markets.