Is it counterfeit food?
A new website has been launched by the Food Marketing Network to expose companies which make false or misleading claims on their packaging, following research undertaken by the BBC of more than 4,000 food businesses.
‘honestlabelling.com' was set up by FMN founder Rob Ward in response to the research findings, which included contacts with journalists, MPs and industry professionals. It was visited more than 2,000 times in the first week with many visitors to the site castigated companies that make false claims about the provenance of food or its processing origin.
The use of ‘Great British Menu' by Birds Eye on its roast chicken dinner met with a storm of protest when it was discovered that the meat was imported and the product made in Eire. The company has since dropped the wording.
It appears that even the Melton Mowbray pork pie, subject to special protection for its brand in the EU, is able to use meat sourced from overseas.
"Consumers are totally fed up with...retailers selling products that imply they're something they're not. If a shop is calling a product 'traditional', 'regional', 'local', 'home-baked', or 'fresh' when it's not, they had better watch out. Social media can destroy a brand/business overnight if it's seen to be ripping off the public," warned Mr Ward.
"Minority producers should see the site as an opportunity to prove that they really do dominate their niche, region or sector. If a deli, farm shop or independent is doing things by the book then this is their chance to start screaming about it," he urged.
