Online shoppers could ask for British groceries only

ONLINE shoppers could soon demand British groceries with just a click of a button.

Environment Minister George Eustice was urged to introduce a button to press while food shopping online ‘so that you can just choose from British produce’.

The comments came during a Westminster Hall debate where Mr Eustice also said ministers were looking at using trademark laws to improve the labelling of Angus beef. Conservative MP Rebecca Pow said: ‘Often if one wants to shop online one doesn’t know whether it’s British food or not. Would there be a way that we could consider having a button to press when you do your online shop so that you can just choose from British produce?’ Julian Sturdy MP, who led the debate, said: ‘I applaud that and I think it’s an excellent idea, and I hope the minister certainly takes that point on board.’

At the end of the debate, Mr Eustice said: ‘I can say that we are discussing this with the NFU [National Farmer’s Union].’

Rural affairs select committee chairman Neil Parish raised the issue of Angus beef.

He said: ‘There is a very big chain in this city and others which sell Angus beef. I suspect that beef is not Aberdeen Angus from either Scotland or the rest of the United Kingdom but from South America.

‘But because they label it as Angus beef, a lot of people eating it I suspect think it’s home-grown Angus beef.’

MPs also raised concerns about supermarkets setting up ‘fictitious’ brands that imply products sourced from overseas are produced by UK farms.