The UK government has announced plans to increase transparency in food labeling to ensure that high-quality British food stands out from the crowd.
Its proposals, announced at a conference in Oxford today (5 January) by Environment Secretary Steve Barclay, aim to “empower consumers to make informed decisions at the supermarket shelf and online, while supporting British farmers producing food to world-leading standards of taste, quality, and animal welfare.”
In what is likely to be perceived as a ‘buy British’ initiative, the outlined plans, set to undergo consultation, encompass proposals for enhancing food labeling transparency. This involves measures like “highlighting when imported products do not meet UK welfare standards.”
Barclay will engage in discussions with prominent online retailers to explore strategies for aiding customers in comprehending the origin of their food products during the purchasing process. This may involve considering the implementation of a “buy British button.”
Ensuring Fair Rewards for UK Farmers:
The government’s Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has affirmed its commitment to ensuring that British farmers adhering to high welfare standards receive fair rewards. The goal is to emphasize and distinguish high-quality British food in the marketplace.
Barclay told the conference, “British farmers take pride in producing food that meets, and often exceeds, our world-leading animal welfare and environmental standards.
“British consumers want to buy this top-quality food, but too often products produced to lower standards overseas aren’t clearly labelled to differentiate them.
“This is why I am proud to announce that we will consult on clearer food labelling so we can tackle the unfairness created by misleading labelling and protect farmers and consumers.”
Clive Black, a seasoned observer of the food industry and a director at the UK investment firm Shore Capital, provided a mixed assessment of the announcement.
“That Defra is showing some interest in the economic interests of British farming – it should really be so for the whole food system – is a welcome change,” he said.
He added, “A consultation on labelling is, I guess potentially helpful albeit the motive of the idea generation if it comes from within Defra or its SPADs [special advisers] will most probably mean ‘we must be seen to do something’, rather than a real initiative with teeth, heart and legs.
“Let’s see, therefore, what emerges, but one material way to help the UK food system, particularly farming, would be to mandate that all central and local government procurement prioritises buying British and is not permitted to procure meat, for example, that does not comply with UK welfare regulations. Alas, such ideas did not emerge.”
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