Origin of meat: More transparency at the counter – menus should follow

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Meat counter in a butcher shop: Signs should provide information about the origin

Photo: Bernd Weißbrod / dpa

When buying meat, customers have more clarity about where the steaks and schnitzels come from. From this Thursday onwards, information on the country of origin of the animals is mandatory for additional meat products, as stated in a regulation by Federal Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir (Greens).

The rules apply to supermarkets, butchers, farm shops and weekly markets. The mandatory origin labeling will also be extended to unpackaged meat from pigs, sheep, goats and poultry.

This applies to packaged goods, as well as to unpackaged beef. The country of rearing and slaughter must be indicated using small signs on the goods or on screens. So for example: »Raised in: France. Slaughtered in: Germany,” as the ministry explained. If birth, rearing and slaughter were in a single country, it can be said “Origin: Germany”.

If meat of the same origin is predominantly sold, a general note in the store is sufficient. So, for example, a clearly visible notice: “All of our pork in the counter comes from Germany.”

More transparency for sausage and pizza

The consumer advice centers welcome the expansion, but are calling for further steps. The head of the federal association, Ramona Pop, told the dpa news agency that further gaps needed to be closed. “The origin of the meat should also be labeled for processed foods such as sausage or salami pizza.”

Pop called for the indications of origin to be extended to catering and communal catering in canteens and cafeterias. Consumers should be able to tell from the menu where the meat on their plate comes from.

The ministry is already eyeing an expansion to the catering industry. The government is planning to vote on a draft in the spring, as a spokesman recently said.

Various labels and seals can already be seen on meat packaging in the refrigerated shelves. Many consumers are very interested in where food comes from. 82 percent consider information about the origin of products to be important or very important, according to a recently presented survey commissioned by the ministry.

Posture labeling is adjusted

In addition to the origin, many customers are also interested in how the animals are kept. This summer, a widespread label used by large supermarket chains will be aligned with the future state animal husbandry logo. Both labels should continue to be able to be used side by side without causing confusion due to contradictory information.

The voluntary “keeping system” label introduced in 2019 already applies to meat and processed pork, beef and poultry products. So far, the labels have the numbers 1 to 4 for four levels with increasing requirements. Organic goods are also classified in level 4 “Premium”. The change is intended to split it up and create a separate level 5 for organic.

A five-category system also has the state logo, which according to the law will become mandatory for domestic products in 2025. It will initially start with pork in the trade and then be expanded further.

Özdemir argues that with the indications of origin, consumers can support regional value creation and also high environmental and animal welfare standards.

However, not everyone draws such a direct conclusion. Consumer advocate Pop said: "The labeling of origin can allow conclusions to be drawn about better husbandry and production conditions if animal, environmental and occupational safety standards are raised significantly in this country." Then farmers would also have an actual locational advantage.

mmq/dpa