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The report, by Mick Sloyan, Chief Executive of the British Pig Executive, draws on the latest Meat and Livestock Commission data and updates and expands his original, produced a year ago. It shows imports of pork and processed products such as bacon, increased by 14 per cent in 2003 to reach nearly 770,000 tonnes. The report estimates that 85 per cent of all bacon used in the foodservice sector is imported.

Mick Sloyan said: "Our estimates are that some 70 per cent of these imports came from pigs raised under conditions that would not conform to UK minimum standards.

"The importers say they merely respond to market demand but a survey of 1,500 consumers showed more than 90 per cent were concerned that much imported pork, bacon and ham would be illegal to produce in the UK.

"About 90 per cent also believed imported meat should be produced to the same standards as applied in the UK."

The report highlights four areas which the industry needs to address:

• Labelling transparency in all pork products
  
  
• Verifying the specifications the supply of pork from abroad
  
  
• Country of origin labelling
  
  
• Encouragement of supplying countries to raise their standards and be open about the steps taken.

Source: BPEX - 26th April