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Whitbread boss backs tighter food regulation after horsemeat scandal Whitbread boss backs tighter food regulation after horsemeat scandal
(35 minutes later)
The boss of Whitbread, the leisure group behind the Beefeater and Brewers Fayre pub chains, has attacked what he called Britain and Europe's "piecemeal regulation and patchwork certification" for the processed meat industry after it was caught up in the horsemeat scandal.The boss of Whitbread, the leisure group behind the Beefeater and Brewers Fayre pub chains, has attacked what he called Britain and Europe's "piecemeal regulation and patchwork certification" for the processed meat industry after it was caught up in the horsemeat scandal.
Announcing that burgers – this time sourced from new suppliers in Ireland – would once again be on sale in pubs later this week, Andy Harrison said Whitbread had acted unilaterally to ensure processed meat products were now traced from "field to fork".Announcing that burgers – this time sourced from new suppliers in Ireland – would once again be on sale in pubs later this week, Andy Harrison said Whitbread had acted unilaterally to ensure processed meat products were now traced from "field to fork".
Separately he called for a radical overhaul of the disjoined framework governing the complex European processed meat supply chain. Currently, he said, general laws were set by Brussels; UK policy set by Defra; expert advice offered by the Food Standards agency; and testing carried out by local authorities. "I don't like the term 'red tape', because it implies ineffective bureaucracy ... but we need tighter and more robust regulation and certification – and the FSA should take a lead on that." Separately, he called for a radical overhaul of the disjoined framework governing the complex European processed meat supply chain. Currently, he said, general laws were set by Brussels; UK policy set by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra); expert advice offered by the Food Standards agency; and testing carried out by local authorities. "I don't like the term 'red tape', because it implies ineffective bureaucracy … but we need tighter and more robust regulation and certification – and the FSA should take a lead on that."
Earlier this month Whitbread said it was "dismayed" to find itself the latest in a string of big name companies discovering equine DNA in its products. A beef lasagne supplied by private equity-owned Brakes Brothers and burgers from Doncaster-based former chef Metin Pekin's Paragon Quality Foods were found to be contaminated. Earlier this month Whitbread said it was "dismayed" to find itself the latest in a string of big-name companies discovering equine DNA in its products. A beef lasagne supplied by private equity-owned Brakes Brothers and burgers from Doncaster-based former chef Metin Pekin's Paragon Quality Foods were found to be contaminated.
Harrison hinted that the present scale of food contamination was likely to be poorly understood as a number of major retailers and wholesalers remained conspicuously absent from the FSA's list of firms to have submitted test results. Harrison hinted that the present scale of food contamination was likely to be poorly understood as a number of major retailers and wholesalers remained absent from the FSA's list of firms to have submitted test results.
The FSA confirmed it has no legal powers to require testing, but a spokesperson added: "If we find out a business is selling or supplying some thing that is improperly labelled and they have not carried out the tests we have asked for then that leaves them very open to prosecution. The FSA confirmed it has no legal powers to require testing, but added: "If we find out a business is selling or supplying something that is improperly labelled and they have not carried out the tests we have asked for, then that leaves them very open to prosecution.
"If a business being prosecuted is not the one that prepared or imported the food it can normally run a defence of 'due diligence' provided certain conditions are met. One of those conditions is that reasonable checks have been carried out, so in the circumstances where businesses have been recommended to test, but have declined to do so, it would be difficult to run the defence.""If a business being prosecuted is not the one that prepared or imported the food it can normally run a defence of 'due diligence' provided certain conditions are met. One of those conditions is that reasonable checks have been carried out, so in the circumstances where businesses have been recommended to test, but have declined to do so, it would be difficult to run the defence."
Harrison said he was baffled as to why more pub and restaurant chains did not appear on a list of co-operating companies published at the back of a weekly FSA horsemeat crisis bulletin. "The suppliers who supply us [Whitbread] also supply many of our competitors," he noted. "There are very many well-known names that are not there [on the FSA's list]." Harrison said he was baffled why more pub and restaurant chains did not appear on a list of co-operating companies published at the back of a weekly FSA horsemeat crisis bulletin. "The suppliers who supply us [Whitbread] also supply many of our competitors," he noted. "There are very many well-known names that are not there [on the FSA's list]."
Whitbread is best known for its Premier Inn hotels and its Costa Coffee espresso bars but the group also operates pub restaurants alongside its hotels. Harrison said, despite the bad publicity, pub sales had not been dented by Whitbread being drawn into the horsemeat scandal, with many customers electing to switch to chicken meals. In contrast pub sales in January were down £1.5m because customers were reluctant to venture out for a meal in the heavy snow. Whitbread is best known for its Premier Inn hotels and its Costa Coffee espresso bars but the group also operates pub restaurants alongside its hotels. Harrison said that despite the bad publicity, pub sales had not been dented by Whitbread being drawn into the horsemeat scandal, with many customers electing to switch to chicken meals. In contrast pub sales in January were down £1.5m because customers were reluctant to venture out for a meal in the heavy snow.