There are general labelling rules for meat and meat products, including for:
- country of origin
- the name of the food (when water or other animal species are added
- certain meat products that look like a cut, joint, slice, portion or carcase of meat
For a range of products containing meat, The Products Containing Meat etc. (England) Regulations 2014 set out certain rules. These regulations include the minimum meat content requirements for certain meat products sold using reserved descriptions (for example, sausages, burgers, corned beef, meat pies and pasties). There is further guidance on meat and products containing meat.
For beef and veal, there are specific rules in The Beef and Veal Labelling Regulations (2010) and detailed guidance on beef and veal labelling.
Importing products containing meat to England from 1 October 2022
From 1 October 2022 products containing meat cannot be sold in England if they do not meet the labelling and composition rules.
