Hemel Hempstead MP Mike Penning today urged local residents to sign up to a new petition calling for clearer labelling on food packaging.
The Honest Food campaign launched by Conservatives seeks to end misleading claims and ensure compulsory ‘country of origin’ labelling. This will mean that meat products, such as bacon, sausages and ready meals, which are labelled British can only use meat that comes from animals born and bred in Britain. Conservatives are proposing a change in the law to make this compulsory.
Research into everyday products on supermarket shelves has indentified Tesco chicken dinners “produced in the UK” using chicken from Thailand; Marks and Spencer’s corned beef sandwiches emblazoned with the Union flag – but using meat from Brazil; and goods from the Birdseye “Great British Menu” range made with imported meat.
The petition can be signed online at: www.honestfoodcampaign.com, and the campaign has been endorsed by famous chefs, Hugh Fernley-Whittingstall, Clarissa Dickson Wright, Prue Leith and Anthony Worrall Thompson.
Mike said:
“People have a right to know where their food comes from, but there is nothing in food labelling regulations to stop food that is only processed here being labelled as British.
“Conservatives would change the law to prevent unclear and misleading labelling so only meat from animals reared in Britain could carry a British label. This would allow shoppers in Hemel to see clearly where their food comes from so they can choose British food with confidence.”
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