Scottish meat campaign beefed up

Stores and restaurants will be targeted

One of the biggest campaigns aimed at stopping fake Scotch beef being sold in the shops is hitting the high streets.

Trade body Quality Meat Scotland is sending out more than one million leaflets outlining how to tell if meat is really Scottish.

A new squad has also been set up to visit stores and restaurants to check if the product is the real thing.

Industry leaders argue that too often shoppers are buying beef which is not the genuine article.

As many as 57% of consumers say they are prepared to pay more for Scotch beef. The brand commands a premium in shops and restaurants throughout the country.

However, in one case meat which was sold as Scotch fillet steak turned out to be Namibian.

Kitchen hit squads

Leaflets in newspapers are showing how to interpret codes on packaging in supermarkets and, in a joint offensive, a team of "meat detectives" will be visiting shops and restaurants.

Spokeswoman Louise Welsh said: "The Scottish red meat industry has earned its global reputation for producing high quality beef and upholding high production standards throughout the chain from gate to plate.

"However, an increasing number of consumers also say they're concerned about the accuracy of food labelling and our campaign is aimed at making sure that as far as Scotch beef is concerned, they can be sure about what they're buying. "

She added: "This latest phase of our initiative will take a powerful message about the quality of our beef and the standards of our industry into more than a million Scottish homes."

Campaigners say the main task of the kitchen hit squads will be to beef up chefs' understanding of what to look for when they are buying their meat.