Beef labelling: guidance

Section B: Compulsory labelling

1. What compulsory information must you show on your labelling?

You must show the following information on your label (Examples of labels are shown in section F).

• reference number or code

This links the meat with the original animal or group of animals which it came from.

For a slaughterhouse - the reference number or code may be an identification number or any other number or code relating to the animal or group of animals, or carcasses or quarters.

For a cutting plant - the reference number or code may be the individual identification number or any other number or code relating to the animal which the cut of meat comes from. However, it could be a batch number. For this purpose, a batch may include up to one day's production in the cutting plant. A batch formed in a cutting plant may only include beef which has been slaughtered in the same slaughterhouse and, if relevant, cut previously in the same cutting plant or plants. If you are cutting meat from different slaughterhouses, beef from each slaughterhouse must have a different reference number. You may include in a single batch beef slaughtered in the same slaughterhouse but on different days. The batches which undergo further cutting (for example, primals into retail cuts) is limited in the same way, so a batch must not involve more than one day's production and must be formed from beef which has been cut previously in the same cutting plant or plants.

For a retail outlet - any reference number or code allowing you to trace the meat within your shop can be used as long as there is a link through your register and documents to your supplier's reference number or code. It could be a batch number.

• 'slaughtered in: [name of member state or non- EU country]'

This is the member state or non-EU country where the slaughterhouse is. Your labelling must include the words: 'slaughtered in [name of member state or non- EU country']. This must be a single member state or a single non- EU country, for example, 'slaughtered in UK'. For beef from animals slaughtered in Scotland, the label should say: 'slaughtered in UK'.

• approval number of slaughterhouse

This is the veterinary approval number which has been given to the establishment or premises. The number appears on the health-mark stamp. During the production of cut meat, operators may make up batches of meat originating from animals slaughtered at a maximum of three different slaughterhouses.

• 'cutting or cut in [name of member state or non- EU country]'

This is the member state or non-EU country where the cutting plant is. Your labelling must include the words: 'cutting or cut in [name of member state or non- EU country]'. This must be a single member state or a single non-EU country. A regional name, such as 'Aberdeenshire' or 'Scotland', is not enough.

• approval number of the cutting plant(s)

This is the veterinary approval number which has been given to the establishment or premises where the beef was cut (or deboned), and which appears on the health-mark stamp. If a batch of beef is processed through more than one cutting plant, your labelling must show the approval numbers of all the cutting plants where the meat was processed. Beef which has not been slaughtered in the same slaughterhouse and cut in the same cutting plant or series of cutting plants may be batched from beef cut up at a maximum of three different cutting plants If beef is cut in non-approved premises, for example, butchers, farm shops or other shops, the address of the premises must be shown instead of an approval number. But where the beef is cut and sold in the same non-approved premises, the label may say 'on these premises'. If a slaughterhouse also does the cutting, the slaughterhouse approval number should be used.

• The name of the member state or non- EU country in which the animal, or group of animals, was born.

This must be a single member state or a single non- EU country. A regional name, such as 'Aberdeenshire' or 'Scotland', is not enough. Meat from animals born in different countries cannot be put in the same batch. Meat from animals born before 1 January 1998, where information on the place of birth is not available, should be marked 'born before 1 January 1998'.

• the name of the member state or non-EU country where the animal, or group of animals, lived between birth and slaughter

This is the name of all the member states or non-EU countries where the animal, or group of animals, lived between birth and slaughter. Each animal in the group of animals must have been reared in all of the countries listed. If the animal or animals spent less than 30 days immediately after birth in the country of birth, you do not have to list that country. Also, if the animal spent less than 30 days immediately before slaughter in the country of slaughter then you do not have to list that country. Meat from animals born before 1 January 1998, where information on the place of rearing is not available, should be marked 'born before 1 January 1998'.

If your beef comes from animals which were born, raised and slaughtered in the same member state or same non-EU country, your label can show 'origin: [name of member state] or [non- EU country]', along with the other compulsory labels (for example, 'British beef - origin: UK)', and the label would also have to contain 'slaughtered in UK (approval number), cut in UK (approval number)', together with the reference number or code.

2. What compulsory information must be displayed on your labelling for trimmings?

You must show the following information on your label.

• reference number or code

This is the traceability reference number of code which links back to the source animal, group of animals or batches of beef used for trimmings.

• member state or non-EU country of slaughter

This is the name of the member state or non-EU country where the animals from which the trimmings originate. The label must include the words 'slaughtered in [name of member state or non- EU country] and the plant approval number.

• member state or non-EU country of production

This is the name of the member state or non-EU country of production of the trimmings and the approval number of the plant at which they were produced. The label must include the words 'produced in:[name of member state or non- EU country] and the plant approval number.

• member state or non-EU country birth and rearing

This is the name of the member state or non-EU country of birth and rearing of the animals in the group. The label must include the words 'born and raised in [names of the member states or non-EU countries in which the animals were born and raised]. When the country of birth, the country of rearing and the country of slaughter is the same for all the animals in the group, the label may indicate 'country of origin [name of member state or non-EU country in which birth, rearing and slaughter took place].

3. What are the labelling rules for non pre-packed cut meat?

3.1 At retail level, when displaying non-pre-packed cut beef at the same time for sale to the final consumer, operators must make sure they have followed the rule on batch composition for further cutting using a maximum of three slaughterhouses and three cutting plants for all cut meat.

3.2 As a derogation to Article 13(2)(b) (to show slaughterhouse licence number) and (c) (to show cutting plant licence number) of Regulation 1760/2000, operators must, at the points of sale to the final consumer, label all non pre-packed cut meats displayed for sale in accordance with paragraph 3.1 by indicating the name of the country of birth, rearing and slaughter of the animals from which the meat originates, followed by the name of the country of carcase cutting.

3.3 Meat of animals born and/or raised and/or slaughtered in different countries must be clearly separated from each other, including when displayed for sale. The information displayed in the retail outlet must be placed near these meats to enable the final consumer to distinguish easily between meat of different origins.

3.4 Operators who sell non pre-packed cut beef displayed together for sale must record each day, with the date, the licence numbers of the slaughterhouses where the animals were slaughtered and those of the cutting plants where the carcases were cut. Operators must provide this information to any consumer who requests it.

3.5 As a derogation to the requirement on batch composition during further cutting or mincing, and provided the requirements laid down in paragraph 3.2 above are followed, the size of the group may exceed one day's production for non-pre-packed cut beef and/or veal displayed for sale to the final consumer.

4. What compulsory information must be displayed on your labelling for minced beef?

You must show the following information on your label.

• reference number or code

This is the traceability reference number or code which links back to the source animal, group of animals or batches of beef used for mincing.

• member state or non-EU country of slaughter

This is the name of the member state or non-EU country where the animals were slaughtered. Beef for mince must come from animals slaughtered in the same country. Your labelling must include the words 'slaughtered in [name of member state or non- EU country]'.

• member state or non- EU country of mincing

This is the member state or non-EU country where the meat was minced. The batch must be minced in only one country. Machines must be cleaned between consignments of meat where the animals have been slaughtered in a different country. Your labelling must include the words 'minced or prepared in [name of member state or non-EU country]'.

• if different from the country of mincing, all the countries where the animal or group of animals lived from birth to slaughter

This is the member states or non-EU countries where the animal or group of animals lived from birth to slaughter. Your label must include the words 'country of origin: [name of member state or non-EU country in which birth, rearing and slaughter took place]', or 'origin: Non-EC' if all those countries are outside the EU.

You can also label with all the compulsory labels in section B1, and include the date of mincing.

5. How do you label beef imported from a non-EU country, when not all compulsory labelling information is available?

Where compulsory information is not available on non-EU country imports, you must label with the wording 'origin: non-EC' and 'slaughtered in [name of non-EU country]'. You should also supply a reference number or code when the beef is cut or repackaged after being imported.

6. How do the rules apply to 'Scotch Beef' and 'Orkney Beef'?

Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) products are produced, processed or prepared within a geographical area, as defined under 'Council Regulation ( EEC) No 2081/92 of 14 July 1992 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs'. The product must have a specific quality, reputation or other characteristic related to the area. Scotland has a 'Scotch Beef' PGI. To qualify as 'Scotch Beef', the product must come from cattle born, bred, slaughtered and dressed within Scotland, and quality assured.

Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) products are produced, processed and prepared in a geographical area, and the features and characteristics of the product must be due to the geographical area and methods of production unique to the area. 'Orkney Beef' is the PDO recognised in Scotland. It is produced, slaughtered and dressed exclusively on Orkney.

Examples of labels are shown in section F.