UK poultry industry struggles to comprehend EU judgement

EU poultrymeat marketing Regulation 1047/2009 was passed, despite the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) lobbying the European Parliament and the EU Agriculture Council. UK law follows suit on 1 May, 2010.

The affected market is worth about £150m. Poultry processors rely on frozen stock to meet peak demand for chilled meat products during periods such as barbecue season and Christmas. At least 90 per cent of these products are sourced from UK firms, but retailers must re-jig supplies or switch goods to freezer cabinets.

Questions​

“There are still questions about how certain foods are categorised and will therefore be affected since the definitions have been slightly changed,” ​said Kaarin Goodburn, secretary general of the Chilled Food Association (CFA). “However, it is clear that ​whole birds, joints, crowns and fillets sold raw will all be affected.”​

That would include a significant amount of prepared turkeys sold for Christmas next year. The status of semi-cooked items or those that have been added to with, for example sauces or garnishes, remains uncertain.

“I am in contact with Defra regarding potential work to further clarify the definitions,” ​said Goodburn.

Implications​

Representing supermarkets and other retailers, BRC food policy director Andrew Opie said: “We are trying to get clarification from Defra and the Food Standards Agency on exactly what products this will affect.​

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“This doesn’t stop similar products being sold frozen, but who is going to want to buy an impulse product that is usually sold in the chiller?”​

He said retailers, processors and farmers were debating the implications of the new law.