Food origin more clearly labelled in retail

The majority of retail meat and dairy products now feature origin labelling, food minister Jim Plaice has announced.

A survey looked at labels on over 500 meat and dairy products in major retailers and independent shops om the first evaluation since the food industry voluntariy vowed to improve standards last November.

Plaice is urging further improvement across the off and on-trade to benefit people who eat out in pubs and restaurants.

The vow followed a Hampshire County Council investigation that found 26% of pubs and restaurants made false origin claims and a Lancashire Trading Standards of businesses investigation that found 32 out of 41 premises checked made misleading claims, among others.

In the recent Government survey, all the butter was correctly labelled, along with 77% of cheeses and 86% of liquid milk.

However, a third of fresh cream products showed no origin statement and only one in six showed where the milk came from and half where it was manufactured.

For bacon, sausages and other lightly processed meat products, 82% had some form of origin labelling, with 67% providing information on the origin of the meat ingredient, and 15% only listing where the product was manufactured. Nearly one in five did not include any origin statement.

Some origin statement was included on 76% of more complicated meat products, such as pies and ready meals.

Room for improvement​

"Honest food labelling is a priority for me," said Plaice. "Consumers want to see clear, honest labels that allow them to make a choice about the standards and origin of their food.

"The food industry has already taken the initiative on this, but these results show there's still room for improvement. People are increasingly eating out so we'll work with the catering sector to make sure they get the right information as well.

"Clearer origin labeling is a key commitment for the Government. The voluntary code agreed in November 2010 will reduce confusion in the origin of products and make the British consumer the best informed in Europe."