Several UK supermarkets have been blasted for putting “misleading” and “inconsistent” labels on the food, making it harder for customers to identify the country of origin. Aldi has come under fire for one packet of bacon that contains a ‘Made in Britain’ sticker but actually contains EU pork.
The revelations have been made by the consumer champion Which? that claimed it found supermarket chains were selling products with “meaningless” statements on their packaging.
Which? researchers visited several stores and discovered that even when the country of origin was supposed to be provided, it was occasionally absent.
This was observed with loose cauliflowers, courgettes, and onions at Sainsbury’s, as well as peppers, melons, and mangoes at Asda.
Retailers must inform about the “country of origin” where certain foods like fresh fruits and veggies, uncooked meats, fish, wine, and olive oil come from. However, these rules usually don’t apply to processed meats or frozen or processed fruits and vegetables.
Two-thirds of people surveyed by Which? said that they believed it was crucial to know where fresh fruit and vegetables came from.
Half of respondents said it was also important to know the origin of processed and tinned meat.
The survey also raised concerns about the inconsistencies, for instance, a whole own-label pineapple in Tesco carried the country of origin, while a packet of pineapple chunks in the next aisle did not.
The consumer group said that this is within the rules but not particularly helpful for shoppers.
Sharing details about the misleading or meaningless labels, the consumer group mentioned how Aldi’s Crestwood bacon and cheese wraps were an example of the former as they showed union jacks and the claim “Made in Britain” on the front of the packet but on the back of the products revealed they contained EU pork.
A pack of gammon joints at Iceland was labelled as “EU and non-EU origin” – a statement that was described as “meaningless”.
Analysts argue that such labelling aims to let customers know that the product is made up of ingredients from various countries, including sources from the UK.
Even when retailers adhered to the rules, Ele Clark, the retail editor at Which?, noted that consumers still weren’t receiving all the information they desired.
She told Guardian: “Supermarkets should particularly focus on labelling loose fruit and vegetables more clearly, but manufacturers and retailers should also consider providing origin information on more processed meat products so shoppers are armed with the information they need to make informed choices,.”
Which? intends to share its discoveries with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, it said.
The department recently announced a discussion on food labeling to enhance transparency, allowing consumers to “make informed decisions.”
Additionally, following Brexit, the government plans to mandate that all meat and dairy products sold in the UK be labeled as “not for EU” starting in October. Food producers estimate this could increase their costs by £250 million annually.
Sainsbury’s and Asda said they had stringent processes in place to ensure country of origin is clearly displayed at the shelf edge and on products themselves where applicable. Aldi said it worked hard to ensure that all its labelling complied with the rules.
An Asda spokesperson told Express.co.uk: “We have stringent processes in place to ensure that the country of origin is clearly displayed at the shelf edge and on products themselves where applicable, at all our stores. We have reminded our colleagues at this particular store of these processes, so that customers are able to clearly see the country of origin.”
Express.co.uk has reached out to Aldi, Tesco and Sainsbury’s for a comment.
