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Retailers profit on foreign potato fraud
United Kingdom
Friday 11 May 2007
Foreign grown potatoes are being passed-off as British in the latest consumer scam to be uncovered by trading standards officers, The Times has informed.
At least two leading retailers are under investigation for selling Israeli potatoes as "British new potatoes" and may face prosecution. They cannot be named for legal reasons.
Experts at the British Potato Council are now in touch with local authorities around the country to find out the scale of the fraud and to protect the 2.85 billion EUR a year retail market.
The main problem is over the sale of potatoes sold loose in supermarkets, local shops and market stalls. About 80 per cent of potatoes are sold in supermarkets and experts believe that problems in the large retailers are down to accidental mislabelling.
Before the main harvest, British produce is often in short supply and shelves are stocked with foreign potatoes. As a result, some inaccurate labelling occurs.
But there is concern that some smaller traders may be anxious to boost their profits by selling potatoes with a British label. Rogue traders are easily able to cash in. Wholesale market prices for Israeli, Egyptian and Cypriot Estima potatoes are about 220 EUR a ton. British-grown King Edwards cost between 370 EUR and 390 EUR per ton.
Similarly, new potatoes from Majorca or Italy will cost 440 EUR to 540 EUR a ton, but prime regional speciality potatoes such as Jersey Royals fetch 640 EUR a ton. Produce sold within the area it is grown can achieve 840 EUR to 1.040 EUR a ton.
As well as the supermarkets selling Israeli potatoes as British, enforcement officers found Cypriot potatoes sold as British and Italian new potatoes being sold as premium Pembrokeshire produce.
At least two leading retailers are under investigation for selling Israeli potatoes as "British new potatoes" and may face prosecution. They cannot be named for legal reasons.
Experts at the British Potato Council are now in touch with local authorities around the country to find out the scale of the fraud and to protect the 2.85 billion EUR a year retail market.
The main problem is over the sale of potatoes sold loose in supermarkets, local shops and market stalls. About 80 per cent of potatoes are sold in supermarkets and experts believe that problems in the large retailers are down to accidental mislabelling.
Before the main harvest, British produce is often in short supply and shelves are stocked with foreign potatoes. As a result, some inaccurate labelling occurs.
But there is concern that some smaller traders may be anxious to boost their profits by selling potatoes with a British label. Rogue traders are easily able to cash in. Wholesale market prices for Israeli, Egyptian and Cypriot Estima potatoes are about 220 EUR a ton. British-grown King Edwards cost between 370 EUR and 390 EUR per ton.
Similarly, new potatoes from Majorca or Italy will cost 440 EUR to 540 EUR a ton, but prime regional speciality potatoes such as Jersey Royals fetch 640 EUR a ton. Produce sold within the area it is grown can achieve 840 EUR to 1.040 EUR a ton.
As well as the supermarkets selling Israeli potatoes as British, enforcement officers found Cypriot potatoes sold as British and Italian new potatoes being sold as premium Pembrokeshire produce.
