More than 40 Labour MPs are pressing the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to introduce mandatory food origin labelling within 100 days. The Labour Rural Research Group, supported by the Countryside Alliance, warns that misleading labels confuse shoppers and disadvantage British farmers.
Call for Clearer Labelling
The MPs want Defra to require that all food products sold in the UK clearly display their country of origin and manufacturing details. This would help consumers identify British produce and support domestic food production. Currently, rules only mandate origin labelling for specific items like fresh fruit, vegetables, unprocessed meat, fish, wine, and olive oil. Processed meats, frozen produce, and other processed foods are exempt.
Support from Countryside Alliance
Tim Bonner, chief executive of the Countryside Alliance, said: “The Countryside Alliance has long campaigned for clearer food labelling and a fairer marketplace for British farmers, so we strongly welcome this campaign from the Labour Rural Research Group.” He added: “For too long, confusing and misleading labelling has made it harder for consumers to support British produce, while farmers have been undercut by imports.”
MPs Emphasize Benefits
Noah Law, Labour MP for St Austell and Newquay, said: “I welcome the Farming Roadmap and specifically the commitment to at least maintain and support domestic levels of food production in England, and our Labour Rural research group’s calls for Honest Labelling will ensure that consumers can play their part in backing British farmers.” He added: “If we bring in Honest Labelling, farmers win, animals win, and shoppers win.”
Consumer Research Highlights Gaps
Consumer group Which? found that even where origin labelling is required, it is sometimes missing in stores. Eleanor Clark, retail editor at Which?, said: “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.”
Next Steps
The Labour Rural Research Group expects Defra to act within 100 days, a timeline that underscores the urgency of the issue. The proposed law aims to create a fairer market for British farmers and give consumers confidence in the food they buy.
