A free-to-use Scottish food crime hotline has been launched by Food Standards Scotland (FSS) and Crimestoppers to help combat the UK’s £1.2bn food fraud problem.
“Consumers have a right to know that the food they are buying and eating is both safe and authentic,” said FSS chief executive, Geoff Ogle. “Food crime is damaging for the public and the industry, eroding trust and value.”
Defining food crime as any “deliberate manipulation, substitution, mislabelling or instance of fraud in relation to food”, FSS said any information gathered through the new hotline will allow it to target those involved in food-based criminal activities.
NFU Scotland president, Allan Bowie, commented: “Farmers, crofters and growers in Scotland consistently work hard to produce high-quality, safe food. This new helpline will assist in identifying operators who are allowing unsafe and untraceable food to enter the food chain.”
The union also said that it will continue to push for consumers to be given more information about their food, including vitally important country-of-origin information.
The new hotline number is 0800 028 7926
