The National Beef Association is calling on farmers to back its campaign to persuade supermarkets to physically separate displays of beef from different countries of origin by asking their MPs to sign an all-party Early Day Motion (EDM 2804) supporting anti-mixing, or co-mingling, practices at retail level.

House of Commons

Earlier this year the NBA persuaded local authority trading standards advisors (LACORS) that consumers were confused when confronted with a mixture of home produced and imported beef in chill cabinets and other retail displays.

And to cement this agreement, and give errant supermarkets less wriggle room, it has secured the help of Hexham MP, Peter Atkinson, who will present the following Early Day Motion to the House of Commons.

“This House believes that informed consumer choice is central to effective marketing of British meat and is concerned at increasing reports of products from different countries being mixed up on some supermarket shelves.

It therefore calls upon all food retailers to ensure that they comply with the guidance issued by the Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services (LACORS) to retailers on applying the provisions of Article 16 (Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 which sets out provisions governing the on-shelf presentation of meat and meat products from different countries of origin.”

“We are pleased to have Peter’s support on this important issue. He has impressed on us the need to have at least 50 signatures and so we are asking all beef farmers to write to their local MP’s and persuade them to sign up to the anti-mixing motion,” explained NBA chairman, Duff Burrell.

“Co-mingling confuses customers because it makes it more difficult to distinguish cheaper imports from South America and other countries from the top quality local product and this in turn helps to depress domestic cattle prices.”

“However if supermarkets who object to being prevented from mixing their beef can be encouraged to move into line as a result of clear Parliamentary backing for the LACORS guidance on physical separation between retail displays then more consumers will be able to select their beef more easily.”

“Breeders, rearers, feeders and finishers should each make a copy of Mr Atkinson’s EDM 2804 and send it to their MP explaining that if they give it their backing by signing up to it they will be pleasing consumers as well as helping to keep the British beef industry in business.”

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