Western Sahara: Origin Marking
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3 July 2025 to UIN 61881 on Western Sahara: Origin Marking, what data her Department holds on produce originating in Western Sahara being sold in supermarkets labelled as produce of Morocco.
Answered by Dame Angela Eagle
Food origin information is mandatory for some, but not all, foods. In all cases where origin is provided, it must not be misleading.
Produce originating in Western Sahara that has been mislabelled as produce of Morocco would be considered misleading under food labelling regulations. Defra does not hold data on produce being presented in this way in UK supermarkets. My officials and the Food Standards Agency work closely with Local Authority Trading Standards Officers who enforce food labelling rules in the UK, including addressing labels that may be misleading or non-compliant.
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