The Beef Labelling Scheme is a European Union (EU) system requiring specific information to be provided to consumers. This traceable information gives the origin of the beef or veal.
Certain prescribed information is compulsory for fresh and frozen beef and veal at all stages in the supply chain, from slaughter to final retail. Other information may be applied to these products under the ‘Approved Beef Labelling Scheme’. These provisions do not apply to cooked beef or cooked veal products.
This information must be provided in writing, either affixed to the meat or the packaging, or for non pre-packed meat, in writing visible to the ultimate consumer at the point of sale.
Compulsory information
FRESH AND FROZEN BEEF AND VEAL
Information that must be provided on all fresh and frozen beef and veal products (member state means member state of the EU):
- a reference number or code
- the name of the member state or non-EU country in which the animal or group of animals were born
- the name of the member state or non-EU country in which the animal or group of animals were raised
- ‘slaughtered in: [name of member state or non-EU country]‘
- licence number of the slaughterhouse*
- ‘cutting/cut in: [name of member state or non-EU country]‘
- licence number(s) of the cutting plant(s)*
[*Not required at retail sale to public of loose (non pre-packed) beef or veal products.]
Where compulsory information is not available for meat imported from a non-EU country, the labelling must show at least the words ‘Origin: Non-EU and slaughtered in (name of non-EU country)’. You should also show a traceable reference number or code if the meat is cut or repackaged after import.
Where animals have been born, raised and slaughtered in the same member state or non-EU country then the second and third compulsory requirements above can be replaced by a declaration ‘Origin: [name of member state]‘ or ‘Origin: [name of non-EU country]‘. More information about this is available from the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) website.
PRE-PACKED CUT BEEF AND VEAL
Pre-packed cut beef and veal can be sold with meat from a maximum of three slaughterhouses or cutting plants in the same package. The labelling on these packages must show:
slaughterhouse licence number and country of slaughter for each of the relevant member states or non-EU countries of origin, shown as ‘Animals in the group slaughtered in [name of member state or non-EU country of slaughter] ‘
country of cutting and cutting plant licence number for each appropriate member state or non-EU country of cutting, shown as ‘Cutting of meat in batch in: [name of member state or non-EU country of cutting]‘
NON PRE-PACKED CUT BEEF AND VEAL
For non pre-packed beef and veal, the requirements are the same regarding mixing batches from a maximum of three slaughterhouses or cutting plants. The information that must be provided to the final consumer is country of birth, rearing, slaughter and cutting. This information should be provided in such a way that consumers can clearly see what information relates to which meat without confusion.
Operators must keep a daily dated record of licence numbers of the slaughterhouses and cutting plants relating to the meat for sale. This must be produced to consumers on request.
MINCED BEEF:
- traceability reference number or code
- member state or non-EU country of slaughter
- member state or non-EU country of mincing / preparation
- country of origin (from birth to slaughter) if different to country of mincing
You may also include any of the compulsory information for fresh beef and veal products listed earlier in this guidance.
Minced beef from two or more countries of origin cannot be mixed by cutting plants. Minced beef can be mixed with offal from the same country, and it must then be marked with all compulsory information.
TRIMMINGS:
- country of slaughter
- country or production
- countries of birth and rearing
If all the above are the same country then the labelling may read ‘Country of origin: ‘XXX’ in which birth rearing and slaughter took place’.
EU protected food names
Products with Protected Designation of Origin and products of Protected Geographical Indication must show all compulsory information listed at the start of this leaflet. More information on protected food names is available on the Defra website.
Beef and veal from animals under 12 months old
These animals must be categorised at slaughter with reference ‘V’ for animals under eight months old, and ‘Z’ for animals between eight and 12 months old. They must be marketed according to their designated names in the EU. In the UK, animals with a ‘V’ code under eight months are required to be described as veal. Animals with a ‘Z’ code aged between eight and 12 months must be described as beef. These requirements also apply to offal.
Meat and offal from animals under 12 months must be labelled accordingly (‘age on slaughter: 8-12 months’ or ‘age on slaughter: up to 12 months’) at each stage of production or sale, but this can be abbreviated to ‘V’ or ‘Z’ until retail to the final consumer
The term ‘Rosé Veal’ for beef from animals between eight and 12 months old can only be used under the Approved Beef Labelling Scheme (see below). The Rural Payments Agency’s Beef labelling guide originally forbade the use of the term but this guidance has since been amended.
Offal must also be described appropriately – for example, ‘calves’ liver’ may only be used to describe liver from animals under eight months. Offal from different aged animals may be mixed, but must be labelled with the appropriate information for both sources. Beef or veal meat from ‘V’ and ‘Z’ coded animals may not be mixed.
The meat should be labelled with the appropriate description for the member state in which it is to be sold, and it is therefore possible to have two or more labels with appropriate descriptions.
Approved Beef Labelling Scheme
Most other information in addition to the compulsory information listed above must be approved under the Approved Beef Labelling Scheme before it is used. This information would include details regarding breed, style of rearing, halal claims, or region of origin, amongst many others. The majority of statutory information will not need approval – for example, health mark, use by date, weight, etc.
The Rural Payments Agency provides a government approved list of independent verifiers, and in order to use claims in addition to the compulsory information you need to employ an approved verifier to vet your claim. To apply for beef labelling approval, you need to contact the RPA to fill out an application pack and arrange an inspection.
Full detailed guidance on the Compulsory Beef Labelling Scheme and the Approved Labelling Scheme is available on the RPA website. Its guidance also provides sample labels and display information.
Businesses in England only can contact the RPA as follows:
Meat Technical Schemes (MTS), Rural Payments Agency (RPA), Eden Bridge House, Lowther Street, Carlisle, CA3 8DX
Telephone: 01228 640469, Fax: 01228 640524, Email: mts.carlisle@rpa.gsi.gov.uk
Please note: - This is not an authoritative interpretation of the law and is intended only for guidance. Any legislation referred to, while still current, may have been amended from the form in which it was originally enacted. Please contact us for further information.
Relevant legislation
Beef and Veal Labelling Regulations 2010
