The "Honest Food" Campaign launched by the Conservatives seeks to end misleading claims and to 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. The Conservatives are proposing a change in the law to make this compulsory.
Research into everyday products on supermarket shelves has identified that Tesco chicken dinners "produced in the UK" use chicken from Thailand; Marks and Spencers corned beef sandwiches emblazoned with the Union Flag use meat from Brazil; and goods from the Birds Eye "Great British Menu" range are made with imported meat.
The petition can be found online at www.honestfoodcampaign.com The campaign has been backed by famous chefs, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Clarissa Dickson-Wright, Prue Leith and Antony Worrell-Thompson. Peter Aldous 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."
"The Conservatives would change the law to prevent unclear labelling so only meat from animals reared in Britain could carry a British label. Shoppers in Lowestoft, Beccles and Bungay would see clearly where their food comes from so they can choose British food with confidence".
