Continued lack of supermarket reaction to co-mingling advice
The National Beef Association is so alarmed at the determination of some retail companies to continue deliberately mixing, or co-mingling, beef from different countries of origin it has written to government Ministers, and the leaders of the Opposition parties, in Westminster to make them aware of updated official advice against the practice.
This follows a clear statement from one supermarket chairman who, in reply to a letter from an NBA member advising that co-mingling was illegal under Article 16 of a 2002 EU Regulation, confirmed that his company would not be separating meat by the origin of the product.
The Association has also received a written response from a retail chief executive who said he did not agree with separation of meat in chill cabinets by country of origin and claimed it was not helpful to his customers because it did not reflect the way they shopped for meat.
In contrast the NBA has described retail enthusiasm for illegal co-mingling as an unwelcome development because it is making it difficult for beef farmers to earn more from the market and pave the way for the long term survival of the beef sector in the UK.
"Firm advice against co-mingling has been given to retailers by Local Authority specialists at LACORS so they can fall in with the EC Regulation that covers retail display. However some supermarkets appear determined to ignore it," explained Association chief executive, Robert Forster.
"LACORS makes clear its preference for beef from different countries to be separated by at least a plastic strip but says that if co-mingled beef is still on offer consumers must be warned by a prominent notice advising them to take care when selecting their purchase."
"Co-mingling is corporate policy in stores run by many companies, although Morrisons, Waitrose and The Co-op are exceptions, but none of the offenders are displaying the required warning notices and customers are still picking up packs produced in the wrong country by mistake."
The NBA is certain that co-mingling favours cheaper imports at the expense of more expensive home produced beef because the packs are offered in jumbled heaps and sold at the same or similar prices.
"This prevents consumers from showing exactly how much more they are prepared to pay for British beef and without higher prices it will be difficult for large sections of the UK beef industry to stay in business," said Mr Forster.
"It is alarming that despite the recent LACORS update the British Retail Consortium, which represents supermarkets, is still maintaining there is no legal requirement to physically separate meat from different countries."
"At this stage we are making sure that as many people as possible are aware of the LACORS view on the EC regulation covering retail display and this is why we have drawn this issue to the attention of so many politicians."
"At the same time LACORS has passed on the 17 complaints on co-mingling that have been made by NBA members to local Trading Standards and Environmental Health officers."
"We will be following the progress of these complaints through the two written warnings to store managers and then to the prosecution stage if these particular stores continue to insist on mixing beef from different countries without putting up warning notices," Mr Forster added.
For more information contact:
Robert Forster, NBA chief executive. Tel. 01830 520131
