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OVER THE WEEKEND, TheJournal.ie looked at where Ireland’s meat imports came from following a European Parliament vote for better country-of-origin labelling for meats in processed foods.
While the vast majority arrives from within the EU, a large share comes from further afield with the bulk of that portion landing from Asia and South America.
We also asked if readers checked where the meat they ate came from – and the majority of those who responded said they did:
Last year a survey from lobby group Love Irish Food said 95% of local shoppers wanted country-of-origin labels on their groceries and drinks.
Meanwhile, a 2013 European Commission report into mandatory country-of-origin labelling for meats in processed foods also said there was strong support for the regulation, but this quickly tapered off when shoppers were faced with higher prices.
It said the change would probably increase costs to meat manufacturers by between 15 and 20%. Most of this was expected to be passed on to consumers, although the increase would make up a much smaller share of grocery prices for items which included many other components.
With all that in mind, we want to know: Would you pay extra to know where your food comes from?
This month, as part of TheJournal.ie’s ongoing small and medium enterprise (SME) focus, we look at product provenance – how buying local matters and the importance of traceability.
To view previous articles in our SME series click HERE.
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It should be common practice never mind be paying extra!!!
3am and I’m slaughtering a kebab extra chilli sauce I couldn’t care less what part of the planet it’s from.
You will know where your toilet paper comes from in the morning !
Paul there’s probably several different species of animal in them kebabs
And all of them delicious
Meat industry looking for another way to screw over the Irish consumer. God we must have gobsh ite written on our foreheads
I would pay to know what foods contain Trans Fats. FSA (Food Safety Authority) don’t know. Trans fats cause Diabetes Type 2 by inhibiting your insulin function. Denmark and Switzerland banned Trans Fats in 2006.
Can someone explain to me how prices would increase by 20% if an extra line of print has to be on packaging showing what country the meat came from, mind boggling.
Because it does not simply mean an extra line of print! It would require a system that can ensure the integrity of the labelling so that fraudesters cannot use the label to sell imported meat as ‘Irish’. Traceability and assirance would have to back up such a scheme and that takes investment and manpower. Thats why it would cost extra.
But Jack they apparently know that already (which means we’re also already paying for it), so the adverts for Irish meat say anyway, so technically it would be just an extra line of print.
Jack so are you saying none of this is already in place, are there not already checks in place so fraudsters can’t label import meat and label it as Irish. Everything you mention should be in place as standard, and if not is extremely worrying and one has to wonder what the hell are the departments responsible doing.
Have you forgotten about the horse meat fiasco? If these things are in place then they are not very effective considering they have problems regulating the type off animal!
Basically would you pay more for Irish labelled goods. Rip off Ireland.
We already do pay extra….and we already know exactly where it comes from. We by it from the shop. It should be the shops responsibility to know who supplies their product.
Pay extra? It is not like we are going to get a choice so it is just a rhetorical question. Of course we will pay.
and we still won’t know for sure
Either pay the Farmer now or pay the Doctor later!
The new ‘know where your meat comes from’ tax to be rolled out soon no doubt
Denny and Galtee products are poor quality though. Better quality and at a lower price is easily found in Aldi or Lydil.
When it comes down to prepackaged meat one is hardly looking for a quality product.
I have come across some decent sausages but D+G should be ashamed of theirs. They are disgusting.
So in conclusion, by trial and error or going into the local butchers one gets to know the good stuff.
It’s what it tastes like that’s more important than where it comes from.
No. It should be the norm to have this information.
I want to see:
- The country the animal was BORN in.
- An indicator that the animal was killed in accordance with Halal practice.
Simple, with negligible cost to producers.
An indicator that the animal was killed in accordance with humane practice would be more appropriate. Being born locally does not always mean anything as the story of these prawns born in County Down shows :-)
” But, for some of these prawns the journey to market as hand-peeled scampi could prove a lot longer. Packed in ice, the first stage of the journey is back to port where they are landed at the busy quay-side fish markets. Next, it’s a lorry journey across to Scotland where the prawns are packed on a refrigerated container ready for shipment to the Far East.
Then begins the 12,000 mile round trip by sea to Thailand where the prawns are peeled by hand. The prawns go on sale after a 12,000-mile round journey Repacked into the chilled container, the scampi is then shipped all the way back to the United Kingdom where it is sold in supermarkets and catering outlets” http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/6189870.stm
Born and reared would be more suitable, I could buy a calf over the border, bring it here and raise it on sawdust and shite, but because it was “born” over the border would that make it the finest northern beef….no
Paddock to plate,surely we take that to mean it’s horse meat?
I shop for quality and that does not necessarily mean for expensive stuff. The German supermarkets do wonderful Irish beef but I only buy that which is labeled Hereford or Aberdeen Angus [ which don't come from either place :-) ] I prefer New Zealand lamb to our own as it’s less fatty and cheaper too even though it comes half-way round the world.
Irish farmed salmon is just as bad as the Norwegian or Scottish stuff but I would give an arm and a leg for a fresh Slaney salmon steak slathered in butter or the tail poached in court bouillon.
Those tiger prawns come to us at the price of the destruction of the Mangrove and are raised on rubbish and chemicals yet they pass the health standards and make great curries and as the Mangrove have been well and truly trashed at this stage do we become martyrs and forgo the curry? Dublin Bay prawns cost a fortune and it is a sin to use such quality other than dipped in a pinch of salt and eaten with no further embellishment. Hungry after that…..
Love Irish Food are a crowd of self serving, self promoting asses.
They’re a cartel of manufacturers who pay into a fund which goes to operate the brand. It’s run by one of the former managers of one of the brands they represent who took early retirement.
Some of the brands aren’t 100% Irish although they stipulate that the product must be at least 60/70% Irish.
Cinnte dearfach. Is fíor anamh a chloistear aon chlabhsán faoi praghas an óil nó caigdeán an stuif sin. Nach aisteach?
Monsanto!
WAKE UP SHEEPLE!
Would you pay extra to know where your food came from?
Jeez…we actually have passports for cattle, sheep and pigs….how hard can it be?
We’re supposed to know already but it just we don’t have anyone to properly enforce the present rules…like every other rule brought in…just a rule with nothing and no one to back it up.
Even if you pay, would you believe it? I wouldn’t.
Instigate your own community and grow your own – wait, I’d have to get off my arse.
No need to pay extra; chicken, chicken products and beef come from Brazil; vegetables and bagged salads come from Spain.
the question should be would you pay extra for local food
Denny’s and galtee are two meat brands consumers should pay attention to
have your say