CONSUMER TRUST in Scotch Beef – and any sort of premium for that once lauded product – is being eroded by the 'smoke and mirrors' of retail labelling.

In a loud call to action this week, the Scottish Beef Association alleged that the current jumble of symbols on meat packaging could not be better designed to help product, especially from Ireland, penetrate the Scottish market 'through the back door', particularly given the dominance of the Irish owned processors doing the packing.

The SBA has recently met with Scottish Government and Food Standards Scotland officials to discuss misleading labelling, and believes that right now, whilst consumers remember the local food loyalties that emerged from lockdown, there is an opportunity to properly address a problem that has dogged Scotch producers for decades.

SBA chairman David Barron, who farms at Mintlaw in Aberdeenshire, said: “The problem is really coming home to roost thanks to the current state of the market. It is no wonder the customer is confused when you look at the current jumble of labelling. Saltires, Country of Origin, Scottish, British and Red Tractor are plastered all over the packaging on the supermarket shelves but there is little clarity about what these terms really mean.

“Remember too that these labels are only used on the premium cuts. The position is more confused on products such as mince where co-mingling is even more common. Processed products and ready meals should all be clearly labelled to show the source of their ingredients.”

Meat's origins became even less transparent when Scottish killed primals are taken to English factories for cutting and packaging – as had happened to the Tesco rump steaks the SBA held up as an example. On that particular pack's label, the code UK 1106 shows that the primary processing was carried out at Kepak’s plant at Portlethen – but the retail packing was carried out at UK 5146, which is the code for a third-party site 460 miles away in Huntingdon, which is understood to also pack meat from England, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland under a variety of labels.

“This is far from ideal in terms of provenance, food miles and supervision by Food Standards Scotland," said Mr Barron. “Scotch Beef PGI is pretty clear in that the cattle have to be born, reared and killed in Scotland. Red Tractor is far less stringent because it allows Over Thirty Month cattle to be included and cattle only need to be on an assured farm for the last 90 days of finishing.

"And then we have the use of fictitious name such as Tesco’s Boswell Farms label which gives consumers a sense of confidence which we do not think is justified,” he added.

“The whole labelling scene has become farcical and we are calling on Scottish Government and Food Standards Scotland to take the situation in hand right now when the time is ripe. During the Covid pandemic customers have backed local produce but for that to continue they have to know what they are buying.”

Speaking for the 'Keep Scotland the Brand' campaign, Ruth Watson said: "The labelling on much of the produce on our shelves is very confusing, perhaps intentionally so. Of course, this becomes even more of an issue if the Brexit bonfire of food standards really takes hold and our supermarket shelves fill with hormone-treated beef from overseas, something we know Canada and the USA are pushing for in trade deals.

Read more: Beef farmers' valuable Scotch premium unlikely to return

"Unfortunately, food labelling is reserved to Westminster so the Scottish Government is limited in what action it can take," noted Ms Watson. "There seems to be an endless assault on the very people who do the hugely important job of providing us with food security. We are watching the spectre of war on the edges of Europe. If that doesn't make people understand the need for Scottish food security, what will?

"It doesn't have to be this way. It is time to be assertive. Food security is national security. We have to support our farmers."

NFU Scotland’s newly appointed Livestock Committee chair, Hugh Fraser, commented: “Since NFU Scotland tackled Tesco on high levels of Irish imports and a lack of Scotch beef on its shelves in December, evidence suggests an improving picture in most Tesco stores with much greater availability of clearly labelled Scotch beef. That must become the norm as we seek to re-establish the Scotch premium.

“However, co-mingling of products, including imports, are still being found on some shelves in several retailers and package labelling is adding to the confusion for the vast majority of shoppers looking to support Scottish farmers and crofters," conceded Mr Fraser.

"The use of inconsistent language, fake farm names and imagery – including the use of the Scottish flag – needs to be addressed to avoid confusion and misleading of consumers. As a priority, Country of Origin Labelling must be looked at on all animal products, including processed products where an animal product is a major ingredient."