Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing more clear country of origin labelling for imported food produce.

Food Information to Consumers Regulations apply to all food sold on the UK market, including imported food, and require many foods to declare the origin on the label. This includes where the consumer would be misled if it were not given, and always for specific foods such as: beef; veal; lamb; mutton; pork; goat; poultry; fish; shellfish; wine; olive oil; honey; and most fruits and vegetables. Additionally, there are rules that help prevent the consumer from being misled about the origin of the primary ingredient of the food.

In the Food Strategy which was published earlier this year we committed to exploring whether existing country of origin rules can be strengthened by mandating how and where origin information is displayed. HM Government is committed to tightening up food labelling so that it is easier for consumers to buy British.