August 27, 2007
US country-of-origin labeling for meat complex but appreciated
US consumers are now favouring labels that indicate a product's country of origin, despite the higher costs involve.
Current laws require shrimp and other types of seafood to bear the country's name but other suppliers have added labels voluntarily.
More food - including beef, lamb, pork, perishable agricultural products, and peanuts would have to be labeled with country of origin by September next year.
However, poultry still remains off the list as the US imports little poultry and opposition to it being labeled has been fiercer than other products.
The laws are also confusing as some processed or packaged foods would not require labeling while others are part of another product made domestically- Mexican raisins in Californian bread, for example.
Hamburgers would pose another headache as it may contain meat from cattle from various countries.
The "class" of product also makes a difference.
While makers of peanut snacks would find it exhaustive to list the countries it sources peanuts from without much of an appreciative audience, buyers of gourmet peanuts would want as much information as possible.
Those opposing the labeling law also say it provides few benefits for consumers but high costs for suppliers and retailers. Costs in some cases were ten times more than previously estimated.
Furthermore, adding labels do not necessarily boost sales, according to the Food Marketing Institute. Case in point was that for US seafood.
Labeling is also complicated. For instance, new meat labels will mark beef, lamb, and pork born, raised, and slaughtered domestically as well as meat that came from animals raised in other countries before being sold in the US.
Still, consumers do find such labels safer,
American shoppers are confident of products from such countries as Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, but are more careful when labels say China, India, or Mexico, according to market researchers.
