UK Pork Figures Scandalous
A shocking 59% of all pork and pork products consumed in the UK are imported, according to figures released by Parliament.
Lib Dem Shadow Environment Secretary Tim Farron says that allowing the supermarkets to impose their own voluntary code of labelling has allowed imported meat to legally use the Union Jack flag to imply it is British.
Farron says: "Within the meat industry, British producers stand proud because of their high animal welfare standards. But under this Government, higher standards have meant higher prices, leading to the situation we have today where only 41% of the pig meat eaten at our kitchen tables is produced on a British farm.
"Many of the animals which are imported and then sold as "British" have been reared according to standards which would be considered illegal in the UK.
"The public have the right to know the origin of the food they are buying. If people want to buy British food, they should be able to go into a shop and find those products."
Frankly I'm surprised at the supermarkets, I thought that they were working with the best interests of their hard-pressed British customers and suppliers in mind at this cash-strapped time. It's not about profit, it's gone beyond that, it's all about everybody pulling together. They've made that quite clear. This must just be a clerical error or something.
Lib Dem Shadow Environment Secretary Tim Farron says that allowing the supermarkets to impose their own voluntary code of labelling has allowed imported meat to legally use the Union Jack flag to imply it is British.
Farron says: "Within the meat industry, British producers stand proud because of their high animal welfare standards. But under this Government, higher standards have meant higher prices, leading to the situation we have today where only 41% of the pig meat eaten at our kitchen tables is produced on a British farm.
"Many of the animals which are imported and then sold as "British" have been reared according to standards which would be considered illegal in the UK.
"The public have the right to know the origin of the food they are buying. If people want to buy British food, they should be able to go into a shop and find those products."
Frankly I'm surprised at the supermarkets, I thought that they were working with the best interests of their hard-pressed British customers and suppliers in mind at this cash-strapped time. It's not about profit, it's gone beyond that, it's all about everybody pulling together. They've made that quite clear. This must just be a clerical error or something.
