0:00:02 > 0:00:05There's a lot we don't know about the food on our plates.
0:00:05 > 0:00:08And the shops and labels don't always tell you the whole story.
0:00:08 > 0:00:11Sometimes there's just too many offers
0:00:11 > 0:00:14and when you actually look at them, you're not really saving that much.
0:00:14 > 0:00:18Whether you're staying in or going out, you've told us you can
0:00:18 > 0:00:20feel ripped off by the promises made for what you eat
0:00:20 > 0:00:22and what you pay for it.
0:00:22 > 0:00:27If you buy six, it's cheaper. But I don't want to buy six.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29I want to buy one.
0:00:29 > 0:00:34From claims that don't stack up, to the secrets behind the packaging,
0:00:34 > 0:00:37we'll uncover the truth about Britain's food, so that
0:00:37 > 0:00:41you can be sure that you are getting what you expect at the right price.
0:00:43 > 0:00:47Your food, your money, this is Rip-Off Britain.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53Hello, and welcome to Rip-Off Britain where, as ever,
0:00:53 > 0:00:56we've been busy fighting your corner and investigating
0:00:56 > 0:00:59whether you're getting the best value with the things you buy.
0:00:59 > 0:01:01Now, in this series, we're taking a closer look at some
0:01:01 > 0:01:05of our favourite foods, and that's especially the case today, as
0:01:05 > 0:01:09we'll be unpicking why some of you have been left feeling distinctly
0:01:09 > 0:01:12unimpressed by the quality of some very familiar products.
0:01:12 > 0:01:16And while not all our stories are about what's inside our food,
0:01:16 > 0:01:18what they do have in common is that each of them
0:01:18 > 0:01:21was prompted by you telling us you feel either underwhelmed
0:01:21 > 0:01:24or even short-changed by what you've eaten.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27And while we've been very happy to investigate those stories,
0:01:27 > 0:01:29you can be assured that we've also got plenty of tips
0:01:29 > 0:01:32and advice that you're not going to want to miss, so that the next
0:01:32 > 0:01:35time you're out shopping, you really will know the sort of things
0:01:35 > 0:01:38you need to look out for and that you can be absolutely sure
0:01:38 > 0:01:43that whatever it is you're buying really is what it says on the label.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47Coming up...
0:01:47 > 0:01:48why pub favourite, scampi,
0:01:48 > 0:01:53may not always have the taste or the quality that you might be expecting.
0:01:53 > 0:01:56The texture was horrible.
0:01:56 > 0:02:02There was no flaking, there was no sign of any fish at all.
0:02:02 > 0:02:06Are you being short-changed by food that doesn't weigh
0:02:06 > 0:02:08quite as much as is claimed on the packet?
0:02:08 > 0:02:10I feel really angry about it, actually,
0:02:10 > 0:02:12to be quite honest with you.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18Now, sometimes it isn't just rose-tinted glasses that make
0:02:18 > 0:02:21people question if their favourite foods didn't taste better
0:02:21 > 0:02:24when they were younger. I'm sure you've heard that story.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27It could be that over the years the manufacturing processes
0:02:27 > 0:02:31have changed, perhaps to improve the flavour, or just as likely,
0:02:31 > 0:02:34to speed up how things are made or even maximise on profits.
0:02:34 > 0:02:36And it does appear that's the case with an everyday staple
0:02:36 > 0:02:40that for many years has been very much enjoyed by one of our viewers.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42But when he started enjoying it less,
0:02:42 > 0:02:44he wrote to us to find out what's been going on.
0:02:46 > 0:02:51Now, whether for breakfast, lunch or dinner, for some,
0:02:51 > 0:02:53bacon can be a very welcome ingredient at any time of the day.
0:02:53 > 0:02:57It's something that Rip-Off Britain viewer Philip Holmes has
0:02:57 > 0:02:59enjoyed for years.
0:02:59 > 0:03:01But these days, when he brings home the bacon,
0:03:01 > 0:03:05he's increasingly put off by something he really doesn't like.
0:03:05 > 0:03:07I first noticed it about 20 years ago.
0:03:07 > 0:03:11But up to that point in time, bacon was great to cook
0:03:11 > 0:03:15and you just had oil in the pan and bacon.
0:03:17 > 0:03:22But now, it seems like you get a white gunge coming out of it.
0:03:22 > 0:03:24The mystery white stuff, as Philip calls it,
0:03:24 > 0:03:27has a technical name, it is called exudate, and is actually
0:03:27 > 0:03:30protein from the meat which is carried out along with the mixture
0:03:30 > 0:03:32of water, fat, sugar and salt
0:03:32 > 0:03:35which is released when the bacon is cooked.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38The amount of water content in your bacon, and indeed how it's
0:03:38 > 0:03:42cooked, can influence how much of this white stuff comes out.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45And while it's perfectly harmless, just doesn't look particularly
0:03:45 > 0:03:49appealing, and Philip doesn't think too much of the taste either.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52It's sort of bacony, but it's not very nice.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54HE LAUGHS
0:03:54 > 0:03:57All of the bacon we buy in the UK is cured, a process
0:03:57 > 0:04:02developed before the days of refrigeration to preserve the meat.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05And one reason we still do it today is because bacon's unique taste
0:04:05 > 0:04:10and flavour comes as a direct result of that curing process.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13But there are two distinct ways of doing this and one of them,
0:04:13 > 0:04:16although more efficient for the manufacturers,
0:04:16 > 0:04:18is the cause of Philip's frustration.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23Because it's cheaper and quicker to produce, bacon that's been what's
0:04:23 > 0:04:27called wet-cured, in other words, that's been soaked or injected with
0:04:27 > 0:04:32liquid, is now the sort most likely to be found on supermarket shelves.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35So Philip is right in thinking that the white stuff he
0:04:35 > 0:04:39so dislikes seeing coming out of his bacon has become more common.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41Meanwhile, the meat that he remembers
0:04:41 > 0:04:46so fondly from his childhood is more likely to have been dry-cured,
0:04:46 > 0:04:49that is, preserved in salt, sugar and seasonings,
0:04:49 > 0:04:55applied directly to the meat without water, and then it's air-dried.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58But modern production techniques have meant that this
0:04:58 > 0:05:01type of bacon is now less common and more expensive,
0:05:01 > 0:05:04often costing several pounds more per kilo than its wet-cured
0:05:04 > 0:05:08counterparts. Which is why Philip got in touch with us to see
0:05:08 > 0:05:11if we could bring back the bacon that he's been so missing.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14I'm on a mission to find a decent piece of bacon.
0:05:14 > 0:05:18I'd love to find something that I can guarantee when I bring it home
0:05:18 > 0:05:23and cook it, it's going to be as appetising as I used to remember it.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28So for Philip, it's straight out of the frying pan and into the fire.
0:05:28 > 0:05:32He's come to grill a butcher called Simon Taylor on exactly what
0:05:32 > 0:05:36has gone into and indeed coming out of the bacon he's been eating.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39What I'm finding is that when I'm cooking the bacon,
0:05:39 > 0:05:42there seems to be a white residue that comes from the bacon
0:05:42 > 0:05:44and forms between the actual skin, as it were.
0:05:44 > 0:05:48- Can you tell me anything about that? - Absolutely. There's a few reasons.
0:05:48 > 0:05:52I mean, first of all, the wet-cure bacon, the pork is submerged
0:05:52 > 0:05:54into a brine or injected,
0:05:54 > 0:05:57so it's injected with a sort of salt and sugar solution,
0:05:57 > 0:06:01and obviously that moisture and that salt, once it's cooked,
0:06:01 > 0:06:07comes out as that sort of residue, coming out of the bacon there.
0:06:07 > 0:06:09What does dry-cure mean?
0:06:09 > 0:06:11So dry-cure literally means taking a dry cure
0:06:11 > 0:06:13and adding it to this pork loin.
0:06:13 > 0:06:15So when it comes to dry-cure bacon,
0:06:15 > 0:06:17you are probably going to pay a little bit more.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20That's simply because it is much cheaper, faster,
0:06:20 > 0:06:25adding weight when you wet-cure, so it's less labour-intensive.
0:06:25 > 0:06:30You get better yields. So it is a bit cheaper.
0:06:30 > 0:06:34Simon is frying up an example of both types of bacon, dry
0:06:34 > 0:06:38and wet-cured, to compare just how much water each one leaves behind.
0:06:39 > 0:06:43So, as you can see, as a comparison, we've got
0:06:43 > 0:06:45very little water from your dry-cure,
0:06:45 > 0:06:51and we've got quite a puddle that has now formed out of the wet-cure.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53But Philip is convinced that in recent years,
0:06:53 > 0:06:57all the bacon he buys from the supermarket,
0:06:57 > 0:07:00wet and dry-cured, has been getting more watery, and as far as he's
0:07:00 > 0:07:03concerned, that means he's not getting the same value for money.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08Current labelling regulations mean that producers must declare
0:07:08 > 0:07:11that water has been added to bacon
0:07:11 > 0:07:14if it makes up more than 5% of the total weight.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17But they don't have to tell you exactly how much extra
0:07:17 > 0:07:18water has been added.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21Which means working out from the label just how much your
0:07:21 > 0:07:25bacon is going to shrink during the cooking is pretty much impossible.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28So we've rustled up a few rashers to see for ourselves exactly
0:07:28 > 0:07:32what happens when you cook the bacon most frequently found in the shops.
0:07:32 > 0:07:36We fired up a random selection of unsmoked bacon with the wet and
0:07:36 > 0:07:40dry-cured version bought from each of the four leading supermarkets.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43Obviously, we knew there'd be some shrinkage, but there was a
0:07:43 > 0:07:47significant difference in how our cooked bacon turned out.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50As you'd expect, when we ranked our rashers,
0:07:50 > 0:07:54it was a dry-cured bacon that, size-wise, came top of the fry-ups.
0:07:57 > 0:07:59This Sainsbury's Taste The Difference dry-cured,
0:07:59 > 0:08:02outdoor-reared British bacon ended up just 30% smaller
0:08:02 > 0:08:05when it came out of the pan that when it went in.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09The four dry-cured meats that we looked at lost
0:08:09 > 0:08:12an average of 44% of their weight when cooked, although on this
0:08:12 > 0:08:15particular occasion, one of them lost a fair bit more.
0:08:15 > 0:08:20Tesco's Finest back bacon came out of the pan 54% lighter
0:08:20 > 0:08:21than when it went in.
0:08:21 > 0:08:25Closer to what we typically find with the wet-cured meats.
0:08:25 > 0:08:30On average, our wet-cured samples lost half their weight after cooking.
0:08:30 > 0:08:34But the one that lost the most, this Butcher's Selection wet-cured
0:08:34 > 0:08:38back-bacon from Asda was 59% lighter when it came out of the pan.
0:08:38 > 0:08:42As for the wet-cured bacon that kept most of its weight,
0:08:42 > 0:08:46that was Morrison's Prepared By Us unsmoked back-bacon,
0:08:46 > 0:08:50which tipped the scales at 43% lighter than before it was cooked.
0:08:50 > 0:08:55Of course, our little test is no more than just a snapshot,
0:08:55 > 0:08:58but perhaps surprisingly, it does suggest that whichever
0:08:58 > 0:09:01way your bacon is cured, what comes out when it is cooked may end
0:09:01 > 0:09:06up being more than actually ends up in your butty, and while forking out
0:09:06 > 0:09:10extra for a dry-cured rasher does generally mean you will get more
0:09:10 > 0:09:14actual bacon for your buck when you eat it, that wasn't always the case.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19Only Sainsbury's, whose Taste The Difference dry-cured bacon lost
0:09:19 > 0:09:23the least weight of all our samples, wanted to comment on our findings.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26It put its good result partly down to additional
0:09:26 > 0:09:29air-drying that it goes through after curing.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33But as Phil and all bacon butty lovers know,
0:09:33 > 0:09:36what really matters here is the taste.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39And there's only one way to find out whether the way your bacon is
0:09:39 > 0:09:42cured makes any difference to its deliciousness.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44I have to be absolutely honest
0:09:44 > 0:09:47and say that I'm rather partial to a bacon sarnie every so often.
0:09:47 > 0:09:51However, I never really thought too much about wet-cure versus dry-cure.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54Today, we're going to put it to the test.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57I've come to a very busy cafe in Whitstable where I'm playing
0:09:57 > 0:09:59waitress for the morning.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02OK, well, I'm going to take the order then.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05- Starting with your good self. - Yes, two bacon sandwiches, then.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07Two bacon sandwiches? All for you? OK.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10'In return for my help, the owner, Debbie,
0:10:10 > 0:10:14'is letting us carry out another test with some of her customers.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17'Some will be served with wet-cure bacon in their butty
0:10:17 > 0:10:21'and others dry-cure, and we'll see if they can tell any difference.'
0:10:21 > 0:10:24So, Debbie, what have we got here?
0:10:24 > 0:10:27We've got two different types of bacon, obviously, yeah.
0:10:27 > 0:10:28- This is a dry-cured.- Mm-hm.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31And this is a wet-cured, and we'll see how they cook.
0:10:33 > 0:10:38- 'And just like that...' This is the dry-cured bacon.- Thank you.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40And this is the wet-cured bacon.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43So I'm just going to pop myself down here while you do a taste for me.
0:10:43 > 0:10:45- I'm your waitress for the day. - Lovely!
0:10:45 > 0:10:47'It's the moment of truth.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50'Will our volunteers prefer the taste of the more expensive
0:10:50 > 0:10:51'dry-cured bacon
0:10:51 > 0:10:55'or the cheaper, but typically more watery cut of the meat?'
0:10:55 > 0:11:01- Oh, that's really nice. Mmm. - You like that? So, that's dry-cured.
0:11:01 > 0:11:05- The dry one. And yours?- That is very good.- Very good?
0:11:05 > 0:11:09- It's beautiful, in fact.- So that's the wet-cured one.- Wet-cured.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12- It's very, very nice.- Oh, it's delicious.- Yeah?- How's yours?
0:11:14 > 0:11:18- Lovely.- You like that one better, do you? Wet-cure?
0:11:18 > 0:11:20Absolutely, yes, wet one as well.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23You prefer the wet one? That's interesting, isn't it?
0:11:23 > 0:11:25'Well, funnily enough, in contrast to Philip's views on this,
0:11:25 > 0:11:29'the people who we asked in this cafe actually had a slight
0:11:29 > 0:11:31'preference for the wet-cured bacon.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34'But the meat wasn't all that they were bothered about.'
0:11:34 > 0:11:37They're just as concerned about the type of bread,
0:11:37 > 0:11:39the size of the bread and the butter.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42Which I guess really proves that a good bacon sarnie isn't
0:11:42 > 0:11:43all about the bacon.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46But back in Surrey, Philip disagrees.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49For him, it will always be about the bacon.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52And he knows which sort he'll be shopping for in future.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55Even if it does mean he'll have to fork out a bit extra.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59Definitely, I think dry-cured bacon from the butcher's is definitely
0:11:59 > 0:12:04the way I'll be going in the future and that's the bacon I like to eat.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08Meanwhile, if like Philip, you're worried about the white stuff
0:12:08 > 0:12:11coming out of your bacon, here's a tip to reduce it.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14You keep your pan hot and make sure it isn't overcrowded,
0:12:14 > 0:12:17which can reduce the temperature.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20A hot pan seals the meat, which should keep more of the liquid
0:12:20 > 0:12:21and the protein inside.
0:12:30 > 0:12:32Now, even the most enthusiastic of shoppers,
0:12:32 > 0:12:35and I count myself as one, can find stocking up at the supermarket
0:12:35 > 0:12:36a chore at the best of times.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39And while we've become used to examining all the labels to
0:12:39 > 0:12:42make sure that we're getting what we think we are, one thing
0:12:42 > 0:12:45we probably never thought we'd need to check is
0:12:45 > 0:12:48whether the weight on a product's packaging is actually correct.
0:12:48 > 0:12:50But a few months ago,
0:12:50 > 0:12:52one of the biggest names in the business had to withdraw
0:12:52 > 0:12:56tens of thousands of one particular item after an investigation
0:12:56 > 0:12:59found that customers weren't getting quite as much as was promised.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02And it seems, by the way, that that wasn't a one-off,
0:13:02 > 0:13:05because plenty of you have been in touch to say that you've been
0:13:05 > 0:13:07short-changed in exactly the same way,
0:13:07 > 0:13:10buying products with less in the packets than is claimed is inside.
0:13:10 > 0:13:142015 was a tough old year for Tesco,
0:13:14 > 0:13:17already reeling from very disappointing sales figures.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20Britain's biggest retailer, Tesco,
0:13:20 > 0:13:23has reported another big drop in half-yearly profits.
0:13:23 > 0:13:28In October, it had to remove around £93,000 worth of products from
0:13:28 > 0:13:33stores after an investigation found that a particular range of garlic
0:13:33 > 0:13:37bread slices were found to weigh far less than stated on the packets.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40But this isn't a problem confined to Tesco.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44Other big-name stores have been accused of having underweight
0:13:44 > 0:13:46foods on their shelves as well.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50For some of you, this is going to sound very familiar
0:13:50 > 0:13:53because quite a few of you have been in touch to point out that
0:13:53 > 0:13:56what it says on the packaging of foods that you have bought
0:13:56 > 0:13:59has proved very different from the actual weight of the food inside.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04Mark Jackson in York told us
0:14:04 > 0:14:07how disappointed he was to have ended up with a packet of pasta
0:14:07 > 0:14:10that contained apparently only around 20% of the amount it should.
0:14:12 > 0:14:16And Linda Barraclough from Cornwall went further, raising concerns
0:14:16 > 0:14:19that her regular brand of cottage cheese is quite often underweight.
0:14:19 > 0:14:23But if there is one group of people for whom the implications
0:14:23 > 0:14:26of this problem can weigh the heaviest, it is home bakers.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29And Geraldine Shanks is very proud to be one of them.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36Over the last few years, when I've been baking,
0:14:36 > 0:14:40I have definitely noticed underweight products,
0:14:40 > 0:14:46such as sugar, butter and flour, certainly.
0:14:46 > 0:14:48There are others but those are the bigger discrepancies,
0:14:48 > 0:14:50I would say, in weight.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53She has started keeping a list of the products
0:14:53 > 0:14:57that she's noticed had fallen short, and for Geraldine,
0:14:57 > 0:14:59that can often mean a trip back to the shops.
0:14:59 > 0:15:03Personally, I am not an expert, but I do feel that
0:15:03 > 0:15:06when you buy a product in a supermarket and it states
0:15:06 > 0:15:08a specific weight on that packaging,
0:15:08 > 0:15:10and you bring it home to your kitchen
0:15:10 > 0:15:14weigh it on the scales and find that it is underweight, I just don't
0:15:14 > 0:15:18know why I should be inconvenienced by this, put out of pocket.
0:15:18 > 0:15:20I think it shouldn't happen
0:15:20 > 0:15:23and something really should be done about it.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26But it's not just the bakery aisle where the
0:15:26 > 0:15:28problem of underweight food has reached a peak.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31Pauline from Gravesend contacted us
0:15:31 > 0:15:33to tell us she has had the same
0:15:33 > 0:15:35thing happen when buying packaged meat.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38She found that lamb, salmon and pork escalopes from her local
0:15:38 > 0:15:42supermarket all weighed less than the figure stated on the packets.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45And although the store in question did apologise
0:15:45 > 0:15:48when she raised the matter, Pauline says it has put her off buying
0:15:48 > 0:15:50meat from the same supermarket ever again.
0:15:50 > 0:15:54Businesses in the UK are required by law to comply with EU
0:15:54 > 0:15:58regulations on the quantity labelling of pre-packaged food.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01And over here these rules are set by the National Measurement
0:16:01 > 0:16:03& Regulation Office.
0:16:03 > 0:16:07But as Daniel Maxim of the Chartered Trading Standards Institute
0:16:07 > 0:16:11says, ensuring those regulations are stuck to is a mammoth task.
0:16:11 > 0:16:15Businesses are allowed a margin of error so on a typical 100g
0:16:15 > 0:16:19bar of chocolate, that would be round about four and a half grams.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21If they start to seriously exceed that,
0:16:21 > 0:16:23they will be liable to prosecution.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26Each packet that is seriously underweight would amount to
0:16:26 > 0:16:27about £5,000 fine.
0:16:27 > 0:16:29So, for retailers and all the packers,
0:16:29 > 0:16:32that could be a substantial fine that they would be facing.
0:16:32 > 0:16:36In 2015, researchers at Queen's University in Belfast carried
0:16:36 > 0:16:40out an investigation on behalf of consumer group Which?,
0:16:40 > 0:16:43to see how widespread this problem is.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47They weighed 467 food products bought from supermarkets
0:16:47 > 0:16:50in Northern Ireland and found that 73 of those items,
0:16:50 > 0:16:51around a fifth, in other words,
0:16:51 > 0:16:54fell below the recognised margin of error.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57Among those it was claimed fell short were Heinz Chunky Veg
0:16:57 > 0:17:01Big Soup, Green Giant Niblets of Original Sweetcorn,
0:17:01 > 0:17:03and Del Monte Peach Slices.
0:17:04 > 0:17:08The manufacturers didn't comment at the time but when we retested
0:17:08 > 0:17:12these and other items from the list on our own scales several
0:17:12 > 0:17:15months later, they all weighed in at more or less the correct weight.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18Indeed, some of them had more than stated on the label.
0:17:18 > 0:17:23But as is clear from your e-mails and letters, that is
0:17:23 > 0:17:26not the case with all the products on our supermarket shelves.
0:17:30 > 0:17:35And as for Geraldine, for whom even a slight variation in weight
0:17:35 > 0:17:39can mean the difference between perfect pastry or the dreaded soggy
0:17:39 > 0:17:42bottom, it is a problem that still gets her very hot under the collar.
0:17:42 > 0:17:44I feel really angry about it,
0:17:44 > 0:17:47actually, to be quite honest with you.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50I think that if this is what is happening in the industry
0:17:50 > 0:17:53and the public are being duped, I think it is
0:17:53 > 0:17:56an absolute disgrace and should be looked into.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59I feel quite annoyed about it.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02Next, a favourite dish you might associate more with
0:18:02 > 0:18:06'70s dinner parties and pub menus than posh fish restaurants,
0:18:06 > 0:18:08and I'm talking about scampi.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10But is it always quite what it's supposed to be?
0:18:10 > 0:18:15True aficionados know that the real wholetail scampi is delicious,
0:18:15 > 0:18:18and they'd probably know what fish it comes from, as well.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21But that isn't what you might typically buy in the shops,
0:18:21 > 0:18:23or indeed be given in a restaurant, as became clear
0:18:23 > 0:18:27when we were contacted by one Rip-Off Britain viewer left very
0:18:27 > 0:18:32disappointed by the so-called scampi she was served up when eating out.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38It's been a staple of pub menus for donkey's years.
0:18:38 > 0:18:42But while scampi is hugely popular, with sales of more
0:18:42 > 0:18:46than £40 million a year, it's also a bit of an enigma.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48'Would you know, for example, where it comes from?'
0:18:48 > 0:18:52- What do you think scampi is? - It's basically a prawn, isn't it?
0:18:52 > 0:18:56- It's a big prawn.- A big prawn? - Virtually, yeah.- Yeah?
0:18:56 > 0:18:59- Is it some kind of shrimp? - Like a large shrimp?
0:18:59 > 0:19:03- I always thought it was a sort of prawn.- A prawn?- A prawn.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06Well, I can tell you that scampi comes from a shellfish
0:19:06 > 0:19:09related to the lobster family - langoustine.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12Actually, langoustine tails, to be precise about it.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15But whatever you want to call them, whether breaded, fried, served
0:19:15 > 0:19:19up with chips, peas and a good old dollop of tartar sauce, trust me...
0:19:19 > 0:19:21they taste really, really good.
0:19:21 > 0:19:26'Fellow scampi fan and all-round culinary enthusiast
0:19:26 > 0:19:28'Christine Thomas couldn't agree more.'
0:19:28 > 0:19:35I love scampi because it has lovely texture, a lovely taste.
0:19:35 > 0:19:41You can put it into so many different dishes.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45But as Christine discovered to her horror,
0:19:45 > 0:19:47what passes as scampi in some pubs
0:19:47 > 0:19:50and restaurants isn't always the lovely langoustine it should be.
0:19:52 > 0:19:53I saw this little restaurant,
0:19:53 > 0:19:56and I thought, "Oh, I'll pop in there for lunch."
0:19:56 > 0:20:02I started eating the scampi, and I thought, "This is really strange."
0:20:05 > 0:20:08- Good morning.- Good morning.
0:20:08 > 0:20:12Can you show me what nice or best scampi you have today?
0:20:12 > 0:20:13As a former cookery lecturer,
0:20:13 > 0:20:17Christine knows exactly what should have been inside those breadcrumbs.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20But the quality of what she'd been served instead rather
0:20:20 > 0:20:22stuck in her throat.
0:20:22 > 0:20:29The texture was...horrible. It was... It was tough. It was solid.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32There was no flaking,
0:20:32 > 0:20:34there was no...
0:20:34 > 0:20:38No sign of any fish at all.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41And when you bit into it, it stuck to the palate.
0:20:41 > 0:20:45So I've never had scampi again.
0:20:45 > 0:20:49The restaurant apologised and gave Christine a free coffee.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52But after her encounter with the suspect scampi, she wrote to us
0:20:52 > 0:20:56and asked us to look into whether something fishy was going on.
0:20:56 > 0:21:01- How's that for you?- Thank you very much.- That's lovely, thank you.
0:21:01 > 0:21:05So we called in chef Kumud Gandhi to help shed some light on the matter.
0:21:05 > 0:21:09When you order scampi on the menu, you should be getting a langoustine,
0:21:09 > 0:21:14and you should be looking for around about 65 to 75% langoustine.
0:21:14 > 0:21:19So a good-quality scampi should be about...this
0:21:19 > 0:21:25length in size, and about this depth and thickness.
0:21:26 > 0:21:30So that's what you should be getting inside that breaded coating.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33And now for what you may sometimes get instead.
0:21:33 > 0:21:37So in the lower-quality scampi, they may not be using langoustine.
0:21:37 > 0:21:41They may be using just scraps of fish, processed fish,
0:21:41 > 0:21:46and so you could have as little as 20%. Anything ranging from 20
0:21:46 > 0:21:53to 40%. And anything less than 40% really is a very poor scampi.
0:21:53 > 0:21:58To find out more, Christine's joining Kumud for a cookery
0:21:58 > 0:22:01lesson, but this time as a student, rather than teacher.
0:22:01 > 0:22:05We're going to make the lower-grade scampi.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07I'm going to use a cheap white fish.
0:22:08 > 0:22:12Proper restaurant menus don't always tell you what type of scampi
0:22:12 > 0:22:13you're getting.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16But if you're buying it from a supermarket to cook at home,
0:22:16 > 0:22:18simply turning over the packet
0:22:18 > 0:22:21should shed some light on what's really inside.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23And when we did that with scampi on sale in British supermarkets,
0:22:23 > 0:22:25this is what we found.
0:22:25 > 0:22:29We looked at all the scampi products we could find offered
0:22:29 > 0:22:31online by the four biggest supermarkets.
0:22:31 > 0:22:3322 items in total.
0:22:33 > 0:22:37On the day we looked, the highest percentage of scampi
0:22:37 > 0:22:41we found was 45%, which was the amount in three separate products.
0:22:41 > 0:22:45That's Tesco's wholetail breaded scampi.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48Asda's breaded wholetail scampi.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50And Asda's Big Saver breaded wholetail scampi.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53And these were the three products containing the lowest
0:22:53 > 0:22:55percentage of scampi.
0:22:55 > 0:22:58One from Sainsbury's, one from Young's Seafood
0:22:58 > 0:23:00and one from Whitby Seafoods.
0:23:00 > 0:23:04They were also amongst only four products we found which listed other
0:23:04 > 0:23:06fish in their ingredients as well.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09So the Sainsbury's Basics Breaded Scampi Fish Bites
0:23:09 > 0:23:14contained 16% scampi, but also 12% minced Alaska pollock and 4% basa.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16These Kiltie Scampi Bites
0:23:16 > 0:23:19made by Young's Seafood had 16.5% scampi
0:23:19 > 0:23:24but also 16% of what was simply described as minced whitefish.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27And finally these Whitby Breaded Scampi Bites, which contained the
0:23:27 > 0:23:31lowest percentage of langoustine out of all the items we looked at,
0:23:31 > 0:23:32just 7%.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36Instead it had 30% minced cod.
0:23:36 > 0:23:40Whitby Seafoods also produce the only other scampi product
0:23:40 > 0:23:42we saw which contained other fish as well.
0:23:42 > 0:23:47This Whitby Seashore breaded scampi which had 20% langoustine
0:23:47 > 0:23:50but also 17% minced cod.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53'But while you might not have realised how little scampi or
0:23:53 > 0:23:56'langoustine is in some of these products, none of them
0:23:56 > 0:23:58'is actually breaking any rules.'
0:23:58 > 0:24:02Regulations state that product labelling should not be misleading.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05So for example, if it says "wholetail scampi" on the outside
0:24:05 > 0:24:09of the packet, it should definitely be wholetail scampi on the inside.
0:24:09 > 0:24:13However, if it only says "scampi", well, I'm afraid there are no
0:24:13 > 0:24:17regulations to control exactly how much langoustine should be in it.
0:24:19 > 0:24:21There is, however, an easy way to spot the products that typically
0:24:21 > 0:24:23contain the least amount.
0:24:23 > 0:24:24As a rule of thumb,
0:24:24 > 0:24:28if what you've picked up in the supermarket has the word
0:24:28 > 0:24:29"bites" in its name,
0:24:29 > 0:24:32it's probably made with other fish as well as scampi.
0:24:33 > 0:24:37But without knowing that, and if you were just looking at the packet,
0:24:37 > 0:24:40how much langoustine might you expect to find inside?
0:24:40 > 0:24:43'We went to a cafe in Whitstable to find out.'
0:24:43 > 0:24:47What I want you to do is have a look at the package and tell me
0:24:47 > 0:24:51what percentage of langoustine you think would be in this.
0:24:51 > 0:24:56- OK. Nearly 80%.- In actual fact, it's 37.- 37%?
0:24:56 > 0:24:57OK, this one.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00You haven't got a picture on the front, or anything.
0:25:00 > 0:25:02But these are scampi bites.
0:25:02 > 0:25:06I notice they've got cod and scampi, so I assume a bit less.
0:25:06 > 0:25:10- 30%? - That's a good conclusion, actually,
0:25:10 > 0:25:12as they do say cod on the front as well.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14- It's only seven.- Seven? - 7% langoustine.
0:25:14 > 0:25:18- Are you quite shocked at the percentages here?- It is surprising.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21You've got to take into account it has got breadcrumbs on it, so it's
0:25:21 > 0:25:24not going to be 100% the fish, but I would have thought it would
0:25:24 > 0:25:27be a lot more than the percentages that are actually in there.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30We got in touch with the manufacturers of the products
0:25:30 > 0:25:33we found containing the least scampi.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36Sainsbury's, Young's Seafoods and Whitby Seafoods.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39All of them stressed that these particular products are just
0:25:39 > 0:25:42part of a wider range and developed in response to consumer
0:25:42 > 0:25:46demand for lower-priced alternatives to wholetail scampi.
0:25:46 > 0:25:51Sainsbury's said not only are its Basics Scampi Fish Bites offered
0:25:51 > 0:25:53with quality and value in mind,
0:25:53 > 0:25:56but that the product is unique in stating clearly, not just in the
0:25:56 > 0:26:01bag, but in the name of the product itself, that it also contains fish.
0:26:01 > 0:26:06Similarly Young's Seafood told us that it uses the name Scampi Bites
0:26:06 > 0:26:10to reflect that this particular product isn't whole scampi.
0:26:10 > 0:26:14And Whitby Seafoods, whose Scampi Bites contained 7% scampi
0:26:14 > 0:26:19and whose Seashore Scampi is mixed with cod, said that
0:26:19 > 0:26:22while it offers a range of products to meet customers' "differing
0:26:22 > 0:26:26"price points", its most popular product is in fact its Whole Scampi.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29Each of the three companies also made it very clear that all
0:26:29 > 0:26:33their products are labelled clearly and in accordance with regulations.
0:26:36 > 0:26:40Meanwhile, back in the kitchen, the two types of scampi Kumud has
0:26:40 > 0:26:42made are ready for Christine to taste.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45First up it's the wholetail scampi.
0:26:45 > 0:26:46Oh, that looks beautiful.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49You can see all the layers of the fish.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51BOTH: You can actually see the pink. Yes.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59Absolutely delicious - really, really lovely.
0:26:59 > 0:27:04And now for the cheaper scampi which has about 10% langoustine
0:27:04 > 0:27:05and some added whitefish.
0:27:05 > 0:27:09Oh, my gosh! That's just like I saw in the restaurant.
0:27:09 > 0:27:14Look, it's a sort of mush! Do I really have to taste that? Oh, dear.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20My gosh, it's like eating cotton wool.
0:27:20 > 0:27:22KUMUD LAUGHS
0:27:22 > 0:27:25Christine is determined that she won't get caught out ever
0:27:25 > 0:27:26again in the same way.
0:27:26 > 0:27:32I really felt strongly about people being sold scampi
0:27:32 > 0:27:34and it isn't scampi.
0:27:34 > 0:27:39So I'm really happy many people will be made aware and they will be
0:27:39 > 0:27:43more careful and checking what they are really eating.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51Well, I am afraid that's where we have to leave it for today.
0:27:51 > 0:27:53Now, don't forget you can share your own food tips by joining
0:27:53 > 0:27:56the conversations on our Facebook page and you'll find much more
0:27:56 > 0:28:00advice on how to get the best value from what you buy on our website.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03The address, that is if you need any reminder, is...
0:28:05 > 0:28:09And of course that's also the place to send us
0:28:09 > 0:28:13your own stories or questions about topics you'd like us to look into.
0:28:13 > 0:28:15It doesn't have to be food-related, you can
0:28:15 > 0:28:17write to us about anything you spend your money on.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20And we'll keep investigating why what you get in return isn't
0:28:20 > 0:28:22always what you expect.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25So, any prices or promises that you come across that don't
0:28:25 > 0:28:27quite stack up, let us know about them.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30But I'm afraid that that is where we have to leave it for now.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33Thanks to everyone who helped us with the stories that we
0:28:33 > 0:28:35featured today and of course to you for joining us.
0:28:35 > 0:28:37We will be seeing you here on Rip-Off Britain again very soon,
0:28:37 > 0:28:40but in the meantime, from everyone on the team, bye-bye.
0:28:40 > 0:28:42- Bye-bye.- Goodbye.