New plans could see big change to hundreds of products in all UK supermarkets
12.03.2024 - 13:17
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
New plans to make food labels clearer could soon see changes to products in all UK supermarkets.
The government wants to direct shoppers to "high quality" British food by improving the labelling of products such as meat and eggs. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said new labels will clearly show which country a product comes from.
Some products will also need to have "method of production" information on their packaging to ensure customers know enough about what they're buying. Environment secretary Steve Barclay said the plans would not only help shoppers, but also give British farmers the "recognition they deserve".
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The consultation, which was first announced back in January and will run until May 7, will look at how to improve country-of-origin labelling for certain goods, including how and where the information is displayed and what products should be included.
Defra gave the example of imported pork cured into bacon in the UK, which is allowed to feature a Union Jack on its label. The consultation will explore ways to make it more obvious to shoppers that the pig was reared abroad, such as by making the country-of-origin text bigger, or putting it on the front of the packet.
Under the proposals, packaging for pork, chicken and eggs would include a mandatory five-tier label for both domestic and imported products. This would show the difference between those that fall below, meet or exceed baseline UK animal welfare regulations.
Mr Barclay said: "This government backs British farmers, who work hard to produce food