By Arun Sudhaman

PARIS: Danone has selected Euro RSCG PR to oversee a lucrative global repositioning assignment, focusing on the French food giant’s key probiotics portfolio.

The development comes with the company facing heightened EU scrutiny of its health claims regarding its Actimel and Activia probiotic yogurts. It is understood that Euro edged out Edelman in the final phase of the pitch, which took place in New York.

The brief will target both professional and consumer markets, led out of Euro RSCG PR’s Paris HQ.

Danone is the biggest player in the fast-growing global probiotics market, expected to be worth £180 million by 2013. The company has invested considerable sums in researching probiotics – or ‘good’ bacteria – to build awareness of health benefits.

However, the European Food Standards Authority has yet to approve any of Danone’s digestive health claims in relation to Activia and Actimel.

Danone’s key probiotics rival include Japanese firm Yakult. The French company has also expanded into probiotic juice products recently.

A Euro RSCG PR representative declined to comment while Danone did not respond to request for comment.