March 31, 2023

 

UK FSA investigates meat falsely labelled as British in supermarkets

 

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) is investigating claims that a rogue meat supplier has falsely labelled huge quantities of foreign pork as British, and that the supplier also mixed rotten pork with fresh meat, BBC reported.

 

Farmers Weekly, a British farming industry magazine, reported that the company falsely labelled industrial scale quantities of foreign pork as UK-made since 2020.

 

The report said the meat could have been found in many items such as ready meals, quiches, and sandwiches sold in a number of UK supermarkets, as well as schools, hospitals, care homes, and prisons.

 

The FSA is not naming the company involved because it is still gathering evidence and does not want to prejudice any potential future court action.

 

According to the FSA's preliminary findings, there is no indication that food is unsafe or that there is an increased risk to consumers.

 

Emily Miles, chief executive of the FSA, said criminal investigations take time and must be conducted in accordance with due process and fairness.

 

The FSA will work tirelessly on behalf of consumers to ensure that this criminal investigation is carried out to the highest standards possible, she said.

 

The British Retail Consortium, a retail industry lobbying group, said that it could not comment on an ongoing investigation, adding that retailers will assist the FSA with its investigation into the individual supplier in question.

 

The FSA's National Food Crime Unit (NFCU) is believed to have launched its initial investigation into the company in September 2021.

 

-      BBC