New EU meat labelling rules have come into effect to ensure consumers know where the animal was reared and slaughtered. That means pork, lamb, goat
New EU meat labelling rules have come into effect to ensure consumers know where the animal was reared and slaughtered.
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That means pork, lamb, goat and poultry will need to be marked with the new information but not processed foods like sausages and pies.
If animals were born, raised and slaughtered in the same country, the label can simply state the “origin” country.
In Brussels, one supermarket shopper from Brazil told euronews that she wished the same rules applied in her country.
Another shopper agreed that the new rules were necessary:
“I think it’s important that they have not only the information about the weight and the expiry date but also where it is from so we know how much time has passed between production and the moment we buy it,” she told euronews.
Officials say consumers increasingly demand to know where animals are farmed.
Before now, only beef was required to have the additional information but that failed to prevent a Europe-wide scandal in 2013 where beef products – including burgers – were discovered to contain horse meat.
The new rules will also apply to meat imported from outside the EU.