The Soil Association, the monitoring body for organic food in the UK, has stayed tight-lipped on reports that suggest it will not look to strip the organic status from food flown into the country.

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The organisation caused controversy in May when it said it would study the environmental impact of air freight. The Soil Association said it was considering the possibility of not awarding organic accreditation to produce flown into the UK.


The consultation process on the association’s proposals – which also includes showing the product’s country of origin on labels – ends tomorrow (28 September).


A report this week in UK trade magazine The Grocer claimed that under half of those consulted supported stripping organic accreditation from air-freighted produce.


However, the Soil Association refused to be drawn on the report. “We can’t really say anything at the moment,” a spokesperson told just-food. A final decision will be published next month, she added.

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The issue has caused fierce debate, with the UK government speaking out against the prospect of a ban.

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