Nick Herbert launched our ‘Honest Food’ campaign at the National Farmers' Union annual conference with a call for clearer food labelling.
Under current rules, meat imported from abroad and processed into products like bacon, sausages and pies in Britain can be labelled as 'British'.
The aim of the ‘Honest Food’ campaign is to get compulsory ‘country of origin’ labelling introduced, so that meat products that are labelled 'British' can only come from animals born and bred in Britain.
Clearer labelling will:
- Allow consumers to make informed choices about the food they buy
- Prevent non-British meat 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
- Restore trust and confidence in British food and labelling in general
Nick, the Shadow Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary, said, “People have a right to know where their food comes from. Meat labelled ‘British’ should be born and bred in Britain, raised to our high welfare standards.”
He stressed, “’Honest Food’ is not about protectionism – consumers should be free to choose food from any country. Clear labelling will empower consumers, not restrict their options. Other EU countries fight for the interests of their consumers and their farming industry within the trading rules. It’s time for the British Government to show the same spine.”
Our call for ‘country of origin’ labelling is endorsed by farming and animal welfare organisations including the NFU and RSPCA; and our Honest Food campaign is endorsed by food celebrities including Hugh Fernley-Whittingstall and Clarissa Dickson Wright.
Find out more about our campaign for Honest Food
Watch our Honest Food video