About 100 MPs have registered their support for the National Beef Association's campaign to stop supermarkets mixing up meat from different countries after Hexham MP Peter Atkinson brought the matter to the attention of the Commons. Mr Atkinson put forward an Early Day Motion backing the physical separation of meat from different countries of origin. The unusually high number of signatories from all political parties confirms strong House of Commons opinion that multiple retailers should not flout Article 16 of EU Regulation 178/2002, which sets out rules governing the on-shelf presentation of meat and meat products from different countries of origin. This move represents a set-back for those supermarkets which continue to prefer to mix lower priced imported meat with high provenance home-produced product. The EDM was sponsored by shadow agriculture spokesman James Paice, after discussions with the National Beef Association (NBA) and its constituency MP Mr Atkinson. The NBA had complained that supermarkets were ignoring the EU Regulation which demands that the arrangement and setting in which retail packages are displayed should not mislead consumers. MPs have now added their backing to advice for retailers from Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services (LACORS) specialists that meat packs should be grouped together by country of origin and there should be some form of obvious and clearly identifiable physical division, such as a plastic strip, between them. "The 95 signatories to the EDM also made clear their view that informed consumer choice is central to the effective marketing of high integrity, high provenance, home produced meat," NBA chief Robert Forster said. "Too many consumers have complained that while it was their intention to buy the British product they mistakenly purchased meat from another country. "We are disappointed that some multiples would like to resist the LACORS advice and have asked the British Retail Consortium (BRC) to press for a softer approach. "The BRC and LACORS are now aware of the strength of Parliamentary opinion on this issue. They should also understand that the Food Standards Agency has also been informed of the NBA's unease that the retail display requirements spelled out in Article 16 of EU Regulation 178/2002 are being ignored by some companies," Mr Forster added. | 
Business Comment
Enterprise North East
Evening Gazette's
