PRESS RELEASE
2 March 2009

Conservatives launch ‘Honest Food’ campaign

Conservatives are stepping up their calls for clearer food labelling with the launch of a new campaign and poll.  Under current rules, meat imported from abroad and processed here – such as bacon, sausages and pies – can be labelled British.  The Honest Food campaign is demanding compulsory ‘country of origin’ labelling so that meat products that are labelled British can only come from animals born and bred in Britain. 

The call for country of origin labelling is being endorsed by farming and animal welfare organisations including the NFU and RSPCA, and the Honest Food campaign is endorsed by food celebrities including Hugh Fernley-Whittingstall and Clarissa Dickson Wright.  It will be launched with a website and promotional video, and 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, and

• Bring honesty and integrity to meat sales to restore trust and confidence in British food and labelling in general.

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.

Malcolm Moss MP said that

“A voluntary agreement between major food retailers is inadequate and a compulsory labelling scheme is now essential. This is why the Conservatives are hoping to introduce a Bill in the next few months requiring meat and meat products labelled as British or carrying the Union flag to be born and bred in Britain. People have a right to know where their food comes from. However it should be noted that ‘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.”