RABDF calls for accurate cheese labelling
22 September 2009
The Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers is calling for Government to revise labelling legislation to ensure retailers declare the full source of origin of cheese found on supermarket shelves. The move is designed to stem escalating imports which last year amounted to 408,000 tonnes, the equivalent of over four billion litres of liquid milk.
“We believe the only solution to removing the current loopholes in identification of cheese is for Government to change the rules that retailers use for labelling. We are therefore appealing to Government to introduce legislation that provides consumers with clear and accurate labelling reflecting the country of origin of cow’s milk right through to the processor and retailer,” explains RABDF chairman, Lyndon Edwards.
“Consumers are currently presented with an array of misleading labelling on cheese; while the vast majority carries UK, that means it can be packaged in the UK. The only way of consumers knowing that cheese has been made with British milk produced to Assured Food Standards is to introduce both the Red Tractor and a Union Jack to the packaging.”
He adds: “We are more than aware of increasing cheese imports as a result of Britain’s dwindling milk supply. For example, cheese imports have increased by almost 15% in the last five years, while imports of Cheddar alone rose by more than 13,000 tonnes to 62,003 tonnes on the year between January and June.
“Consumers’ food purchasing habits are influenced by source of origin. We believe that introducing labelling to cheese which provides accurate information will encourage increased sales of British cheese and in turn strengthen the market for British milk. We also need consumers to wholeheartedly support the campaign and ask retailers where exactly their cheese is sourced from.”
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