Place of origin Food must carry the name and address of the manufacturer, packager or retailer, but these details can sometimes be misleading. Imported pork that is processed in the UK can give the impression the meat is British by describing the product as 'produced in the UK'. Legally, the labels used on ready meals only need to state the origin of the ingredients if it's misleading not to be told. A steak and stout pie or a chilled chicken tikka masala could have been made in the UK (and state this on the label), but the meat might have come from Brazil or Thailand. Producers are encouraged, but not required, to be transparent about the origin of the food. The Co-op, Sainsbury’s, Marks & Spencer and Waitrose all now state where the meat in their ready meals comes from.
There are moves to make country of origin labels clearer so that only food reared, slaughtered and packaged in Britain will be able to claim it is British, but any change in the law will have to be made at European level. National pride Speciality products tend to emphasise that they come from a particular area. Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and Protected Geographic Indication (PGI) status are awarded by the EU to foods that are unique to a particular geographic area. No other food can use the name of that registered product. Welsh lamb, for instance, can carry a PGI mark, and Cornish clotted cream a PDO mark of authenticity.
 The Red Tractor symbol, seen on products as diverse as potatoes, meat, milk and apples, is an independent assurance scheme for home-grown food. The food must be farmed and packed in the UK and meet strict hygiene, safety and welfare standards at all stages. Supermarkets often mark their British meat with a Union flag, or if it's Welsh, Scottish or English, the meat might carry a national emblem to show where it comes from. British pork and English, Scottish and Welsh beef and lamb also have their own quality standard marks, awarded by meat industry bodies such as English Beef and Lamb Executive (Eblex) and Quality Meat Scotland. These marks - there are different logos for each organisation - guarantee the origin of the meat. They also offer an assurance that at every stage, from birth to slaughter through to processing and packaging, the meat has been produced to standards more stringent than the legal minimum set by experts from the Government and the food industry. |
