Residents and visitors to the Westcountry can be assured that restaurants and gastro-pubs are accurately describing the geographical provenance of their locally sourced meats.
Devon, Somerset and Torbay Trading Standards officers conducted sampling in restaurants and pubs across Devon and Somerset to make sure that meat, including steaks, pork and lamb described on menus as Westcountry provenance, were indeed from the region.
And they were, in all of the 15 premises randomly selected for inspection.
A description such as ‘Westcountry’ can infer a premium or unique product that customers will pay more for. Only produce produced in the Westcountry can be described as Westcountry produce.
The sampling determined whether animals had been grazing on Westcountry land, and Trading Standards officers carried out traceability checks to establish claims that the meat was from the region.
Trading Standards Manager, Rachael Holden, said:
“It’s gratifying to see that Devon and Somerset businesses are complying with their requirement to label food correctly. This helps assure visitors and residents of a quality experience, dining on the fine produce that the Westcountry offers.”
