Retailers' labelling on food confuses consumers

Four out of five meat products sold in supermarkets now boast labels which state the country in which they were produced, but consumers remain unsure exactly what "country of origin" labelling means.

The research, produced by Government watchdog the Food Standards Agency (FSA), revealed shoppers do want to see country of origin labelling, particularly on meat products, with some consumers saying the origin of their food is so important they would pay more for it.

The news comes after strong commitments from major supermarkets and retailers to end misleading labelling which claims food is produced in the UK when it's not.

A loophole in the law means food from another country can still be labelled as produced in Britain when, for example, it has just been packaged or handled in this country.

The Conservatives have pledged to end the practice via the statute book if they win the forthcoming general election.

The FSA commissioned a package of research across the country to find out more about how people understand and use food labels, including country of origin labels.

Its research showed that while there exists an awareness of origin labelling, it is not a main concern for consumers when shopping.

But when asked on which foods they would like to see origin labelling, people most frequently mentioned meat and meat products.

The research also revealed that consumers are confused about whether country of origin refers to where animals are born, raised or slaughtered, or whether it refers to where a food product has been produced – something that may concern farming industries who have been campaigning for better labelling on food for several years.

In total, the FSA's research showed 78 per cent of meat and meat products sold in supermarkets now carry a country of origin statement, compared with just 69 per cent in 2005

It also showed some 44 per cent of meat products now give the origin of meat ingredients, more than double the 19 per cent which did when such a survey was last conducted in 2005.

Tim Smith, the FSA's chef executive, said: "The issue is not about more origin labelling but the need for greater clarity on the labels on some of our most popular foods.

"European labelling rules being proposed will require businesses that make origin claims to provide further information, so that people will know where their food actually comes from, not just where it was processed."

Kim-Marie Haywood, director of the National Beef Association, warned, however, that current European proposals to contain both environmental and welfare information on food labelling could confuse the picture even more, and called for a simplified, more accurate system.

"Self-sufficiency of beef is declining in the UK so we need to have some level of imports. The main criteria has to be for clear labelling so consumers can buy Essex beef, British beef or Argentinian beef if they so want," she said.

"If we start going into welfare and climate change issues it is going to make it a really complicated issue."

She added retailers should clearly define British products and those imported from abroad on their shelves.

"We need to simplify things so consumers can make that choice in just two or three seconds" she said.

"Mixing different kinds of beef up on a shelf is just going to confuse consumers who may think they are picking up one thing but find it is something else when they get home."