The UK government’s ‘not for EU’ labeling scheme for meat and dairy products has been postponed indefinitely due to industry concerns about costs and consumer confusion. A review is underway under the new Labour government.
The UK government’s controversial ‘not for EU’ labelling scheme for meat and dairy products has been postponed indefinitely due to industry concerns. The new Labour government has decided to review the plans, which were initially set to roll out across the entire UK.
The previous Conservative administration aimed to implement this labelling on a wide range of agri-food products. However, Dairy UK, the trade body representing the dairy sector, raised alarms about the potential financial burden, estimating that the cost of changing labels alone could reach up to £500,000 per business. When accounting for additional expenses, the total could climb to £2 million per business.
The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) also expressed concerns that the labels might confuse consumers and create misconceptions about the quality of UK-produced food. The union highlighted that domestic suppliers would face further costs related to the labelling requirements.
The labelling initiative was part of concessions made with the EU under the Windsor Framework Agreement, which outlines post-Brexit trade arrangements for Northern Ireland. The aim was to ensure that food sold in Northern Ireland, which had not undergone EU border checks, did not inadvertently enter the Republic of Ireland, a member of the EU’s single market.
Currently, meat and dairy products sent from Britain to Northern Ireland must carry the ‘not for EU’ labels, but the planned expansion of this requirement was scheduled for 1 October.
Judith Bryans, chief executive of Dairy UK, welcomed the government’s decision to pause the initiative.
“Had this initiative gone ahead with new labels being required on pack by 1 October, it would have resulted in chaos for dairy and added significant unnecessary costs and a huge administrative burden to businesses.”
Judith Bryans, chief executive of Dairy UK
Bryans noted that the government’s response reflects the concerns raised by the dairy sector.
A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) confirmed that ministers are carefully reviewing the evidence from the recent consultation on the labelling scheme. They reiterated their commitment to protecting the UK internal market while ensuring the smooth flow of goods to Northern Ireland.
