Rolling out labels which establish meals merchandise with greater than 50% of its elements from abroad might bolster UK meals manufacturing, NFU Scotland has stated.
The concept would assist additionally assist underpin UK meals safety and self-sufficiency, the union defined at at present’s AgriScot, Scotland’s largest winter agricultural occasion.
The brand new labelling initiative, which must be backed by authorities, retailers, processors and the meals service sector, would ‘correctly recognise’ the UK’s manufacturing requirements.
The union stated it had began discussions with politicians round a label that might establish meals merchandise the place greater than 50% of elements had been sourced from exterior the UK.
Higher transparency on the place meals had been sourced from would enable customers to make extra knowledgeable decisions, NFU Scotland stated.
Talking to an trade seminar at AgriScot, the union’s president, Martin Kennedy stated: “As an trade we’re extraordinarily happy with what we produce and the way we produce it, however sadly in terms of producing a return, it doesn’t stack up.
“A labelling initiative might enable us to higher inform our customers in regards to the origin of all of the foods and drinks they’re buying and permit them to make knowledgeable choices.
“I firmly imagine that that is the place we might see governments and trade working collectively like by no means earlier than.”
Mr Kennedy stated it was a ‘big frustration’ to see UK produce, raised and grown to a few of the highest requirements, being undermined by imports that failed to fulfill or match UK requirements.
He stated: “I imagine loyalty to home manufacturing from all components of the meals chain may be supported by legislative change to labelling and that might improve our capacity to maintain producing meals profitably and regionally.
“Nonetheless, the success of any labelling initiative could be depending on it being utilized throughout the UK. This might be an actual sport changer when it comes to supporting our personal meals producers.”
