Campaign to banish misleading food labels

Rob Ward, a champion of local food, said he wanted to ‘lift the lid’ on some of the ‘scurrilous tricks’ employed by major companies to convince consumers they were eating British food when in fact, they were not.  

With consumers spending just five seconds reading each label in the supermarket, Mr Ward said it was time to act: “For too long, consumers have been duped by manufacturers who dazzle them with all sorts of messages to get their attention – often in the hope of disguising the reality.

“Often it is only when you look at the small print, or ring the company itself, that you realise the ingredients don’t fit the image,” he said.

In ‘the most blatant cases’ he said manufacturers used legal loop-holes to use the St George’s flag to convey Englishness even though the major ingredient was not home-reared.

In another example he said one of Britain’s biggest frozen food companies called its ready-meal a ‘Great British Menu’ when the meat was from abroad.

Mr Ward said his ‘honest food’ campaign would encourage food producers – either voluntarily or through formal legislation – to add a clear country of origin label to the front of any packaging.

The campaign joins that of the Sunday Telegraph and the Conservative Party to clear up labelling in British supermarkets.

Earlier this week the Sunday Telegraph claimed victory after Marks & Spencer announced that its meat, fish and dairy items would all be clearly labeled with their country of origin.

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