Back in March 2024 the Alliance welcomed Defra’s ‘Buy British’ labelling plans. Defra announced food labels would be made clearer to help consumers buy British products. The then government consulted on proposals on how to make labelling for products of animal origin more transparent, seeking views about the country of origin and including ‘method of production’ information. 

Defra said it aimed to help consumers make buying decisions that “align with their values” and give British farmers the “recognition they deserve”. As the then-Environment Secretary, Steve Barclay MP, said at the time: 

“British consumers want to buy their produce, but too often products made to lower standards abroad aren’t clearly labelled to tell them apart. That is why I want to make labelling showing where and how food is produced fairer and easier to understand – empowering consumers to make informed choices and rewarding our British farmers for producing high-quality, high-welfare food.” 

The consultation looked at how to improve country of origin labelling for minimally processed meat products, such as bacon, and certain foods in the out-of-home sector such as in restaurants. It considered how and where that information is displayed, and how national flags are used on labels. It also proposed that packaging for pork, chicken and eggs, and in future possibly other products such as beef and lamb, should include a compulsory five-tier label differentiating between those that fall below, meet, and exceed baseline UK animal welfare production standards. All this came in the context of the 2022 Food Strategy. The Alliance has long campaigned for better food labelling and responded to the consultation. 

However, before the government could respond the General Election intervened and it has fallen to the new government to do so. While it is welcome that a response has eventually been forthcoming, the response could hardly be more disappointing. The government recognised the strong support from respondents for country of origin and method of production labelling reform, but gave the impression that we must carry on watching this space, as we have been doing under successive governments for years. 

On country of origin labelling, the government is “committed to using this evidence on an ongoing basis as we consider the UK and Devolved Governments’ priorities on food labelling and information”. On method of production, it “will consider all views as we go forward…as part of continuing policy development” and “consider the potential role of method of production labelling reform as part of the UK Government’s development of an overarching approach to animal welfare and the wider food strategy”. It seems we also need a new food strategy for a new government. 

One thing Brexit did allow us to do was to amend food labelling laws and, as farming transitions and we enter new trade deals abroad, it has never been more important to make sure labelling is clear so that British farmers are treated fairly and British consumers can make informed choices. The Alliance will continue to press the government on this issue, one on which there has been widespread agreement for so long but little action.  

This government should finally deliver where others have failed. Otherwise it too will have had good intentions but failed to deliver, with labelling kicked into the long grass once again.