Call to
change law to end misleading labelling in shops and supermarkets
Bob Blackman,
Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Harrow East, has urged residents
across Harrow to sign up to a new petition calling for clearer labelling on
food packaging.
The "Honest Food"
campaign launched by Conservatives seeks to end misleading claims and ensure compulsory 'country of origin' labelling. This will
mean that meat products, such as bacon, sausages and ready meals, which carry a
British label can only use meat that comes from animals born and bred in
Britain. Conservatives are proposing a change in the law to make this compulsory.
Research into
everyday products on supermarket shelves has indentified Tesco chicken dinners "produced in the UK" use chicken from Thailand; Marks and Spencer's corned beef
sandwiches emblazoned with the Union flag use meat from Brazil; and goods from
the Birdseye "Great British Menu" range are made with imported meat.
The petition can
be signed online at: www.honestfoodcampaign.com.
The campaign has been backed by famous chefs, Hugh Fernley-Whittingstall,
Clarissa Dickson Wright, Prue Leith and Anthony Worrall Thompson.
Bob Blackman said:
"People have a
right to know where their food comes from, but there is nothing in food labelling
regulation to stop food from abroad that is only processed here from being labelled
as British.
"Conservatives
would change the law to prevent unclear and misleading labelling so only meat
from animals reared in Britain could carry a British label. Shoppers in Harrow would see clearly where their food comes from so they can
choose British food with confidence.''
Notes to Editors
CALLS FOR HONEST LABELLING
The Honest Food campaign aims to:
·
Empower consumers to make informed choices about the food they buy.
·
End misleading packaging of non-British meat or meat products being
labelled as British.
·
Support British producers by allowing consumers to identify genuine
British meat.
·
Promote superior British produce by highlighting the advantages of
British produce - especially the superior welfare standards of UK food.
·
Bring honesty and integrity to meat sales to restore trust and confidence
in British food and labelling in general.
Campaign website: www.honestfoodcampaign.com
There is a petition at: http://www.conservatives.com/Campaigns/Honest_Food/Petition_Item.aspx
Call for
mandatory country of origin labelling. Conservatives are campaigning for an overhaul of
food labelling procedures to end the unclear and misleading labelling of meat.
The recent food scare over contaminated Irish pork has refocused attention on
inadequate food labelling in British shops.
The framework legislation from the European Commission governing general
food labelling is currently being revised in Brussels but EU regulations
provide for compulsory origin labelling where its absence might mislead the
consumer.
Proposed new
law:
Conservatives are to present a Food Labelling Regulations (Amendment) Bill
which will make it mandatory for retailers to display the country of origin of
their meat and meat products, in line with other countries, including the
United States and Australia, and will also require meat and meat products
labelled as British or carrying the Union flag to be born and bred in Britain.
Endorsements:
The call
for country of origin food labelling is supported by animal welfare and farming
organisations including Compassion in World Farming, RSPCA, National Farmers'
Union (NFU), Family Farmers' Association, British Pig Executive (BPEX),
National Sheep Association, British Poultry Council, Country Land and Business
Association, Agricultural Industries Confederation, National Pig Association
and the Women's Food and Farming Union (the full text of responses are
contained in the Honest Food policy brief).
The Honest Food campaign has been endorsed by Hugh
Fernley-Whittingstall, Clarissa Dickson Wright, Prue Leith and Anthony Worrall
Thompson.
New
survey shows public support clearer food labelling: A new poll commissioned by
the Conservatives shows strong public support for clearer country of origin
food labelling. The ICM survey found
that 51 per cent believe food labelled as British indicates the meat is from an
animal born and bred in Britain, when in fact this is frequently not the
case. A huge majority (89 per cent)
support a "born and bred" qualification for British labelling.
Current
examples of poor labelling: Conservative researchers visited major supermarkets last week and found
examples of unclear and misleading packaging on a range of meat products. The top five unclear or misleading products on
sale were:
|
Retailer or manufacturer |
Product |
Description |
|
Tesco |
Chicken dinner |
'Produced in UK' but
chicken is from Thailand |
|
Marks & Spencer |
Corned Beef Sandwich |
Emblazoned with Union flag - labelled "Nation's Favourites" - but meat is from Brazil |
|
Birdseye |
Great British Menu range |
Made from 'Imported Meat' |
|
Sainsbury's |
Wafer thin roast chicken |
Meat 'From the UK or
Brazil' |
|
Ash Valley |
Dinosaur Turkey Roll |
Meat from either the UK,
the EU or South America |
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