LONDON: Pubs and restaurants across England and Wales are using false ‘local’ claims on some of their products, according to the United Kingdom based industry publication, Big Hospitality.
Citing a Local Government Regulation investigation, Big Hospitality said that out of the 300 restaurants, retail outlets and food manufacturing premises investigated, one in five restaurants were found to be providing descriptions of foods which were misleading.
The investigation found that New Zealand lamb was passed off as Welsh, Scottish butter and French brie were sold as Somerset products and local Devon ham was actually Danish.
“To have around a third of all items investigated turn out to be false or potentially false is extremely worrying,” Big Hospitality reported chairman of the Local Government Regulation authority Paul Bettison as saying.
“Councils are working with businesses to make sure consumers have the information they need and that they are not being ripped off.”
According to the investigation, 50 percent of poultry, 29 percent of sausages, 27 percent of both beef and lamb and 24 percent of dairy products investigated were found to carry false claims.
Source: Big Hospitality
