Consultation on fairer food labelling

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs is seeking views on the proposals to improve transparency and consistency around food labelling

The proposals aim to:

• make it easier for consumers to make informed decisions when purchasing food
• allow them to choose products that align with their values

Evidence shows that consumers want to buy high-quality food, however, it can be difficult for them to identify where food comes from and how it is produced.

With this in mind, the proposals cover two areas.

Country of origin labelling 

Origin information is mandatory on some food but not on others. Consumers often express the view that origin information is important to them, and food growers and producers also want people to know where their food has been made and grown. 

The consultation is seeking views and evidence on possible interventions that may improve consumer understanding of the origin of certain foods, including how and where origin information is displayed, and on which products origin information should be mandatory.

Method of production labelling

There is currently no clear, consistent way to differentiate between products of animal origin based on animal welfare. The consultation is therefore seeking views on proposals to provide clearer information to consumers about how animals were reared.

The proposals include a mandatory label for pork, chicken, and eggs (both domestic and imported), and a five-tier label system to distinguish between products falling below, meeting, or exceeding the baseline UK welfare regulations for pork, chicken, and eggs. This would apply to all unprocessed pork, chicken, and eggs, as well as certain prepacked and loose minimally processed products with pork, chicken or egg. The proposals also include draft production standards outlining the potential requirements for each tier.

Find out more and respond to the consultation on fairer food labelling.

First published 12 March 2024