BEUC Steps Up Demand for Origin Labelling Of Processed Meat

03 Sep 2014 --- To demystify our meat’s origin, the consumer group BEUC has launched a campaign calling for mandatory ‘Country of Origin Labelling’ (‘COOL’) on processed meat products such as sausages, ham and ravioli - to name a few.

When meat-related scandals hit the headlines, consumers’ trust in meat plunges. One can’t blame them. As transparency is the basis of a trusting relationship, we believe making the meat supply chain more transparent is crucial to the restoration of consumers’ lost confidence in meat.

Origin labelling should be part of the solution. Research has shown that 90% of consumers want to know where their meat comes from. Still, you can have a hard time finding out the origin of the meat in your burger or ready-meal. Only a handful of manufacturers voluntarily display this information.

As consumers’ voices have been unheard by EU decision makers until now, our campaign intends to turn the tide and finally make origin labels the norm on processed meat products.

Consumers can take part by sharing, through liking and retweeting a new slideshow asking for origin labelling of meat in processed foods. They can also post shopping photos “to show origin labelling for processed meat is possible.”