An EC meeting convenes today to rubber-stamp new tighter meat regulations, which, while well intentioned, could leave problems for the traditional British banger.
Quite properly, EU member states are introducing a standard, tighter definition of meat, by amending European Labelling Directive 2000/13. However, without parallel action to amend separate UK legislation, ASDA fears this change could inadvertently leave the door open to poor quality, low-meat content foods being confusingly labelled as sausages.
The problem comes because of the UK’s own stringent sausage laws – the ‘Meat Product and Spreadable Fish Product Regulations’ of 1984. These lay down minimum meat standards for sausages, ensuring that all pork bangers have at least 65 per cent meat and all other varieties contain at least 50 per cent meat, based on the old UK standard.
However, ASDA has learned that there are no plans to re-draft or re-draw these regulations in the light of changes to EC directive 2000/13 which will provide a different Europe-wide definition of meat. If the directive is approved by the Commission and European Parliament and then UK compositional standards for sausages, burgers and pies are revoked, then shady sausage makers could seize the opportunity to market products with a very low-meat content as ‘sausages’.
“While we’re supportive of the EC’s labelling aspirations, we fear a dumbing-down of the sausage market,” said ASDA’s meat and produce director Peter Pritchard. “And with no specific UK sausage laws, Britons could be left wondering whether their sausage really is a sausage.”
Neil Griffiths, chief executive of Law Laboratories which is looking at the commercial implications of these changes also fears the end of traditional UK sausage varieties and hopes common sense will prevail. “This new European meat definition, the labelling requirements and the potential loss of compositional standards will lead to a re-evaluation and reformulation of traditional sausage making methods.”
In support of additional changes to protect the British banger, ASDA today launches a brand new range of twelve different ‘Extra Special’ speciality sausages. The range, which includes a premium Lincolnshire sausage, a pork and black pudding sausage and an Aberdeen Angus sausage, are available from £1.78 a pack.
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