A COMPLAINT has been lodged with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) by the British Pig Executive (BPEX) over an advertisement by the Vion Group, owners of Key Country Foods.

The ASA has agreed to investigate the complaint which involves an advertisement saying Vion "only used meat from healthy animals treated according to the latest animal welfare regulations and therefore ensuring the highest quality along the entire supply chain."

BPEX believes that this claim misleadingly implies that all bacon supplied by Vion in Britain derives from pigs produced in accordance with UK welfare regulations.

However, as extensive analysis has shown, some two-thirds of pigmeat imported into the UK comes from production systems which would be illegal here.

BPEX Marketing Director Richard Lowe said: "Given the fact that BPEX has been conveying this fact to the wholesale and retail trade consistently over the recent past we consider the advertisement at best a corporate own-goal and at worst a cynical attempt to mislead trade buyers.

"The ASA could have dismissed the complaint early on but has chosen to investigate further."

Note: The advertisement was placed in The Grocer of October 15. The next stage will be the ASA will contact both BPEX and Vion with a preliminary recommendation before it is put to the council for decision.

New Dawn For British Pig Industry
Lean Pork - The Healthy Option
Clear Pork Labelling A Must Says BPEX