The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is investigating a poultry meat business suspected of fraudulently selling chicken as free range.
The FSA has not provided details including the name or location of the business, as it said it could affect the criminal investigation or any future proceedings.
Andrew Quinn, Head of the FSA’s National Food Crime Unit (NFCU) said: “The Food Standard Agency’s NFCU, along with other authorities, have executed a search warrant at a premises linked to a live criminal investigation into alleged food fraud.
“The investigation involves poultry meat allegedly misrepresented as free range. We have also identified potential food safety breaches and the FSA are working with industry and appropriate enforcing authorities to protect consumers by ensuring affected batches are withdrawn from sale.”