SUPERMARKET LABELS MISLEAD SHOPPERS BY SAYING IMPORTED FOOD IS FROM UK
Shoppers are being fooled by misleading supermarket signs and labels that are dressing up imported food as British.
Union Jacks and 'Made in Britain' stamps were printed on the packaging of some Aldi pork and beef products, even though they used EU meat.
And shelves laden with tomatoes from Morocco, parsley from Italy and sweet mini peppers from Spain sat on a shelf under a large banner decorated with a Union Jack.
The findings are the result of an investigation by Which? researchers, who also found that consumers are keen to buy British. The study established that almost two in three - 64 per cent - would be more likely to buy a product labelled 'British' than one that was not.
Labelling rules require stores to identify a country or place of origin on meat, fish, fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as honey and wine.
However, confusion creeps in because these rules do not generally apply to processed products, such as ready meals, sausages, pizzas, pies and many frozen or processed fruits and vegetables.
Aldi's Crestwood bacon and cheese wraps had a Union Jack and 'Made in Britain' on the front of the pack. However, the small print on the back said the meat was European.
The same 'Union Jack' ruse was used with an Aldi steak and gravy pie that was made from imported beef.
Researchers also found examples of stores selling loose vegetables with no visible labelling of where they came from.
These included cauliflowers, red cabbage, courgettes and onions at Sainsbury's, peppers, melons and mangoes at Asda and spring onions at Aldi.
In one Asda, cauliflowers from Spain were on a shelf labelled with a Union Jack.
Other labels had fairly meaningless information. For example, packs of sausage rolls from Lidl stated they used 'UK and non UK pork' while gammon joints at Iceland labelled them as 'EU and non EU origin'.
Food and Farming Secretary Steve Barclay is promising a change in the law to improve labels and ensure British products are properly labelled.
However, this has reportedly triggered a row in Whitehall with the Business Secretary, Kemi Badenoch, raising objections on the basis it might increase costs, put up prices and upset foreign trade partners.
Ele Clark, of Which?, said: 'Our research has uncovered a surprising amount of inconsistent and misleading food labelling, suggesting that - even when the rules are properly adhered to - consumers aren't getting all the information they want about their food's origin.
'Shoppers want to know where their food comes from for multiple reasons, including supporting British suppliers and making more sustainable choices.'
She added: 'Supermarkets should particularly focus on labelling loose fruit and vegetables more clearly, but manufacturers and retailers should also consider providing origin information on more processed meat products so shoppers are armed with the information they need.'
The supermarkets insist they support British food and farmers and do all they can to provide honest labels.
Aldi said: 'When it comes to fresh fruit and veg, we are proud to support British farmers and aim to stock British produce whenever it's available.
'Customers understand that at this time of year that isn't always possible.'
Asda said: 'We have stringent processes in place to ensure country of origin is clearly displayed at the shelf edge and on products themselves where applicable, at all our stores.'
Iceland said it follows government rules on food labelling, while Sainsbury's said: 'We have processes in place to make sure country of origin information is clearly displayed on the product or shelf and we carry out regular checks.'
Tesco said: 'We are committed to providing honest and helpful information so that customers can make an informed decision on what they wish to buy.'
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