Mars UK president Fiona Dawson answers your questions

You’re taking a leading role in the Responsibility Deal. Why is that and what has the atmosphere been like in talks?

I like tackling these big issues head on. You’re always going to attract criticism whatever you do so it’s best to get on with it and try to do the right thing. There have been some difficult conversations but I constantly tell myself that if they weren’t difficult they wouldn’t be the right conversations.

Where does the Responsibility Deal go from here?

I’m really proud of how the industry has embraced it and the number of companies who have signed up. I would like to see more people signing up to the existing pledges from across the food industry - getting more SMEs and foodservice businesses on board would be great.

You already cut 15% of the saturated fat content from the Mars bar in 2010. Do you think that got the publicity it deserved?

We didn’t do it to sell more Mars bars. We made the investment because we believed it was the right thing to do. You have to build consumer trust and that is as much about what you do when people aren’t looking as it is when the spotlight is on you.

What did you make of Nestlé removing all artificial ingredients from its confectionery? Are you inspired to follow suit?

You have to admire companies that push their boundaries. They’ve invested in flavours and colours and that is right for their brands. In our case, we’ve made a big investment to cut back on saturated fat and now we’re pledging to cap calories at 250 per portion by the end of 2013 as part of the Responsibility Deal.

How has the Mars bar been performing of late?

The flagship Mars bar is my bellwether of success and has been in good, strong growth. Last year, it grew 4% and that was hard fought for. It is harder to keep a brand like Mars that has been around for 80 years growing continuously than it is to launch a new brand into the marketplace.

And yet last year Mars crashed 20 places down The Grocer’s top 100 brands. What accounted for the slump in sales?

The Mars brand includes products like Mars Planets, which was launched in 2007. It gave us a great lift in year one but has since come off its peak.

In a big year for Cadbury with official sponsorship of the Olympics, how will Mars compete?

As official sponsors of the England football team, 85% of the population will be watching the Euros - more than the Olympics. 2012 will be the biggest-ever year of activity on Mars - we’re spending £4m more behind the brand in marketing support.

How much rides on England’s performance in the tournament?

We have to make sure we are there for the party but you’ve also got to know when the party’s over. A couple of years ago at the World Cup we went on too long.

Do you have a view on Roy Hodgson’s appointment?

No. I’m an Irish girl, and I like rugby. I’m not sponsoring England to go to the games, I’m doing it because it’s good for the brand, and our consumers love it.

What is your relationship like with the US parent company?

The company is very decentralised. I’m given a lot of freedom. I sit on the global board and therefore visit the US regularly, about once a quarter. But when I was asked to edit The Grocer, for example, I didn’t have to ask.

Does the Mars family still play an active role in the business?

We’re very proud to work for a family business but it’s more about culture than ownership per se. We have fourth-generation associates working for the business and have a lady called Audrey who celebrated her 80th birthday last year having started with us when she was 14. We are also very a family friendly place to work - 50% of my board and managers are women.

Are you a fan of positive discrimination to get more women into boardrooms?

No, that can be divisive and an unfair burden for women. Instead, I think more should be done to encourage women and provide an environment where it is all right to ask for what you want. I went back to work three months after my second child was born but I wouldn’t want women to feel they have to be like me to be successful.

You will be taking over the presidency of the IGD next year. What will be your priorities?

It’s daunting taking over from Charles Wilson who’s a real figure of integrity in the industry. I’d like to build on the skills agenda. There is more we can do - not just around work experience but more importantly creating the mindset for work. So many kids drop out of thinking they can get a job - it is scary when you see children in years eight and nine starting to select themselves out.

As a governor of your kids’ school, what do you make of Jamie Oliver’s work on school meals and how some schools have banned chocolate bars and fizzy drinks from lunchboxes?

I like Jamie’s thing - I like people with points of view and he tells it in a very compelling way. As for lunchboxes, if chocolate isn’t in them, as a parent I want to be in control of that choice.

In politics, what do you make of the complaints from some business leaders and the government of an anti-business culture?

It’s a load of rubbish. I’ve never experienced it - now more than ever the industry is being recognised for the good it does. There are difficult debates, people are held up for scrutiny but that is what I love about this country.

Having gone back into recession, is austerity still the right path?

We are in a difficult time and we have to be careful and cautious about all forms of intervention. We have to think carefully about how we reinstill consumer confidence while doing the right thing for the economy.

If you were David Cameron, what would you do to boost consumer confidence?

I would look at VAT levels. I’m not convinced that the higher rate of VAT generates enough revenue to compensate for the lost consumer spending.