Independent and retail butchers in Wexford, Galway, Cork and Cavan were targeted by the IFA in December.

Of the 91 products sampled, 26 (29%) were not Irish. Some 25 of these products originated in independent butchers shops.

IFA National Pigs and Pigmeat Committee Chairman Pat O’Flaherty says that the misleading of consumers is still a serious issue.

“Another major cause for concern is that fact that there were a number of stores stocking imported loin chops," he said. "Of the 26 products that were not Irish, 40% were loin chops and 44% were back rashers. We are horrified that fresh pork is being imported into this country. This is a new development and one which the consumer would never expect.

"In every store we asked the same question ‘is this Irish?’, and not one butcher admitted that the products were imported.”

DNA testing previously carried out by the IFA revealed that over 50% of the products sampled from across the butchers was not assigned to the Irish boar database. Despite the improvement in the latest results, the IFA says there is more work to be done.

“We appreciate that the local butcher is under pressure, however that is not an excuse to mislead the consumer on the origin of their meat," said O'Flaherty.