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The Courier newspaper in Scotland is reporting that a food fraud investigation is under way into alleged illegal practices in meat plants, involving the repackaging of Irish, English and beef from other European countries, as Scottish.
Their report quotes extensively from Food Standards Scotland’s (FSS) intelligence manager Duncan Smith, who is quoted as saying: “We’re aware of several places in Scotland where it’s happening.”
’Sensationalist headlines’
However the report is strongly challenged today by FSS who say that “these sensationalist headlines are not an accurate reflection of the situation”. They go on to say that “the reality is that the Scottish Food Crime Unit is looking into some claims involving meat, but it is important to set these in the context of hundreds of other claims they receive and there is there is no suggestion of any widespread wrongdoing”.
There is no suggestion of a formal investigation or actual wrongdoing
Jim McLaren, chairman of Quality Meat Scotland (QMS), the levy body that perform a similar role to Bord Bia and LMC for beef and lamb, said: “Our understanding is that the FSS Crime Unit is currently looking into the credibility of one or two claims of poor practice – there is no suggestion of a formal investigation or actual wrongdoing.”
Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, Ian Anderson(below) of Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers, the trade association that represents Scottish meat factories, was also dismissive of the Courier report. He said that none of his members had been approached about an investigation and that unfounded allegations that come to nothing are regularly circulated in the industry.
With the reported R3 Steer price in Scotland being £3.73/kg (€4.34/kg) compared with €3.70/kg in Ireland and €3.21/kg in Poland last week, it is clear how identity fraud in beef could be a very profitable business. It is similar to passing off non-organic produce as organic or the fake Rolex watch being passed off as the real thing. Diesel and alcohol are also products that lend themselves to fraudulent manipulation because they can be close replicas of the genuine product that can fool the unsuspecting consumer.
Finding horse meat instead of beef in burgers in 2013 put the spotlight on the meat processing industry and product integrity moved centre stage. The Scottish meat industry has a well-earned reputation for being amongst the very best in terms of prices paid to farmer suppliers and the Scotch beef brand is well established at the premium-end of the market.
Reports like this are a serious threat to its reputation, and judging by FSS and industry comments today, the Courier report is considered misleading at best. If, as they now say, a couple of complaints on beef have been received amongst hundreds of others it puts a different complexion on the issue.
However, until investigations are complete, a cloud is left hanging over the Scottish industry that it will want removed as quickly as possible.
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