British Food Fortnight - How to tell if the meat is British

Our Sponsors

Buying British - Beef

British beef is produced to some of the highest welfare standards in the world.

No growth-promoting hormones are fed to beef cattle in the UK and any antibiotics are administered only under veterinary direction.

Britain’s beef industry is the envy of the world: breeding from livestock and genetics from our native breeds are much sought after by farmers in other countries.

Britain’s cattle passport system means that each animal can be uniquely traced to its dam (mother) and place of birth.

British beef travels less far from farm to shop so regardless of how carbon footprints are calculated it self-evidently has a lower carbon footprint.

Choosing British beef means supporting British farmers whose work helps to keep the British countryside the way we want it to look: no cows – no countryside!

How to tell if the meat is British

Beef labelled ‘British’ must come from animals born, reared and slaughtered within the UK. If you are not buying direct from a farmer you might find it helpful to look for a quality mark. These mean that all stages of the food chain have been independently checked to ensure that they meet the required standards.

	Quality Standard Beef has been produced and processed through a fully assured independently audited supply chain. The quality standard mark for beef is the only one to have standards relating to eating quality such as age, sex and, at certain times of the year, maturation. A St George’s flag on the mark indicates that the meat has come from an animal born, raised and slaughtered in England. A union flag indicates it is born, raised and processed to the same standards but of UK origin.
	The Scotch Beef mark confirms that the animals have been born and reared for all of their lives on assured Scottish farms and that they have been slaughtered in an approved abattoir in Scotland. The standards are set by Quality Mark Scotland’s assurance schemes. Scotch Beef has been awarded the European PGI mark that recognises special regional significance and so the marks will often be accompanied by the PGI logo.
	Welsh Beef mark can only appear on beef that has been born and raised in Wales and that has been slaughtered in an approved abattoir. Welsh Beef has been awarded the European PGI mark that recognises special regional significance and so the marks will often be accompanied by the PGI logo.
	Red Tractor – for details of what this means please use this link.
	Freedom Food – for details of what this means please use this link.

[ Back ]

We want to hear from you

The organisers of British Food Fortnight want to hear from you.

Let us know what you are organising. To have your event, shop, pub or restaurant listed on the website and included in press information please use this link to our contact details and our e-mail contact form.

Or - for general use - follow this link to download a fax-back form.

Or - schools - follow this link to download a fax-back form.

Please complete the appropriate form and send it back to us.