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 the labels don't always tell you the whole story.
0:00:08 > 0:00:11Sometimes when you have these offers on in the supermarket,
0:00:11 > 0:00:13you think you're getting a good deal.
0:00:13 > 0:00:16But if you're actually throwing it away it's not a good deal.
0:00:16 > 0:00:20Whether you're staying in or going out, you've told us you can
0:00:20 > 0:00:23feel ripped off by the promises made for what you eat.
0:00:23 > 0:00:25And what you pay for it.
0:00:25 > 0:00:26What really winds me up, I suppose,
0:00:26 > 0:00:28is the price of so-called healthy food
0:00:28 > 0:00:30compared with the unhealthy stuff.
0:00:30 > 0:00:32The unhealthy stuff seems to be so much cheaper.
0:00:32 > 0:00:36From claims that don't stack up to the secrets behind the packaging,
0:00:36 > 0:00:39we'll uncover the truth about Britain's food
0:00:39 > 0:00:42so you can be sure you're getting what you expect, at the right price.
0:00:44 > 0:00:49Your food, your money, this is Rip-Off Britain.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54Hello, and welcome to Rip-Off Britain
0:00:54 > 0:00:56where once again, we're lifting the lid on
0:00:56 > 0:00:58what you need to know about food.
0:00:58 > 0:01:01And today, we're exposing the secrets of
0:01:01 > 0:01:03some everyday favourites that perhaps you haven't really
0:01:03 > 0:01:05given a second thought to.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08But after you've seen today's programme, I bet you will.
0:01:08 > 0:01:10And that's because a number of you have asked us
0:01:10 > 0:01:14to take a much closer look at some well-known foods that may not
0:01:14 > 0:01:16be everything that you've assumed.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19At least when it comes to what's inside them.
0:01:19 > 0:01:21Now there's absolutely nothing wrong with them,
0:01:21 > 0:01:22but in some cases,
0:01:22 > 0:01:25the ingredients may not always be not only quite what you thought,
0:01:25 > 0:01:28they actually might be rather less of them than you expected.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31And of course, a few of the products that you've contacted us
0:01:31 > 0:01:34about may cost a little more than some of the cheaper alternatives.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37So we'll be trying to find out what you're actually getting
0:01:37 > 0:01:39to justify paying the extra money.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42So, as we get to the bottom of whether you really do always
0:01:42 > 0:01:43get what you pay for,
0:01:43 > 0:01:46hopefully you'll pick up a few tips that may well save you some money.
0:01:48 > 0:01:49Coming up...
0:01:49 > 0:01:50Think you're buying butter?
0:01:50 > 0:01:53Well, you'd better take a much closer look at the label.
0:01:53 > 0:01:59I thought, "Oh, butter." But when I looked at the list of ingredients
0:01:59 > 0:02:04I found that it only has about 20% butter content.
0:02:04 > 0:02:06And that shocked me.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10And have you switched sugar for honey?
0:02:10 > 0:02:13Find out if it's really any better for you.
0:02:13 > 0:02:15A lot of people use honey in favour of sugar cos
0:02:15 > 0:02:16they think it's a lot better.
0:02:16 > 0:02:18Honey does have some nutritional value to it,
0:02:18 > 0:02:21but it's not as great as people tend to think.
0:02:25 > 0:02:30Now, smoothies have rocketed in popularity in recent years, with
0:02:30 > 0:02:34many people seeing them as a quick and easy way to consume more fruit.
0:02:34 > 0:02:35But which fruit?
0:02:35 > 0:02:38Now, you may think it's pretty obvious from the name given
0:02:38 > 0:02:42to the smoothie, be it a banana, mango, blackcurrant or whatever.
0:02:42 > 0:02:44But it may not be that simple.
0:02:44 > 0:02:46One of you wrote to us after noticing that
0:02:46 > 0:02:48when buying one of the popular brands
0:02:48 > 0:02:50that are available in the shops, the fruit that was named
0:02:50 > 0:02:55on the label as the main ingredient may actually be nothing of the kind.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01# Fruit ah-ah
0:03:01 > 0:03:03# Saviour of the universe... #
0:03:03 > 0:03:07Smoothies - a tasty short cut towards getting your five-a-day.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09# Ooh, baby, baby... #
0:03:09 > 0:03:12And a go-to drink for many who want a healthier option.
0:03:12 > 0:03:16'Fruit now boosted with veg, seeds, vitamins and botanicals.'
0:03:16 > 0:03:20And though you may need to keep an eye on how much natural sugar
0:03:20 > 0:03:21is packed inside,
0:03:21 > 0:03:25they're usually considered a step up from plain old fruit juice
0:03:25 > 0:03:28as you'll get more fibre from drinking a smoothie.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31What's more, the exotic-sounding fruits that are listed on the front
0:03:31 > 0:03:34of the bottles mean that if you fancy a taste of the Tropics
0:03:34 > 0:03:37on your lunch break, then these drinks are the way to do it.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43But when our next viewer took a closer look
0:03:43 > 0:03:45at the label on the one that he'd bought,
0:03:45 > 0:03:49he was disappointed to find that his fancy-sounding smoothie
0:03:49 > 0:03:52contained rather more ordinary ingredients than he'd imagined.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55Dave Moore wrote to us from Cambridge when he noticed
0:03:55 > 0:04:01that his smoothie - which has in it pomegranate, blueberries and acai -
0:04:01 > 0:04:05actually contains rather more grape juice and banana than anything else.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10Dave's drink would typically cost around £2 a carton.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13A price he'd been happy to pay for the convenience,
0:04:13 > 0:04:16potential health benefits and, of course, the taste.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20But he wasn't so happy with the discovery that his smoothie
0:04:20 > 0:04:23contained far less of the unusual-sounding ingredients
0:04:23 > 0:04:27that he'd hoped for from the label, and rather more of the comparatively
0:04:27 > 0:04:30run-of-the-mill fruits that he hadn't expected.
0:04:30 > 0:04:31And you can see for yourself.
0:04:31 > 0:04:35Ingredients are always listed in order of what's in there the most.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38So the bulk of this smoothie is actually grapes,
0:04:38 > 0:04:40followed closely by banana.
0:04:40 > 0:04:44The fruit that comes first in the name - pomegranate -
0:04:44 > 0:04:46makes up just 14% of the drink.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49As for the blueberries, they're 3% of the total.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52And the acai which, by the way,
0:04:52 > 0:04:56is a berry often touted as a superfood, is just 0.7%.
0:04:56 > 0:04:58Now, Dave wrote to us
0:04:58 > 0:05:01because he doesn't think that he's getting quite what he paid for.
0:05:01 > 0:05:03But it might not be quite that simple.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06For starters, the composition of other big brand smoothies
0:05:06 > 0:05:11and even juices isn't always what you might have assumed.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15This Naked Red Machine smoothie may seem to be packed with
0:05:15 > 0:05:18strawberries, raspberries and cranberries but in fact,
0:05:18 > 0:05:21the main ingredients are apple juice and orange juice.
0:05:21 > 0:05:26With pureed red fruits between them making up 11.5% of the drink.
0:05:27 > 0:05:31And this Tropicana mango, peach and papaya juice
0:05:31 > 0:05:35contains a total of only 29% of those three fruits.
0:05:35 > 0:05:39Again, it's orange juice and apple juice that are in there the most.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42Like Dave, you might wonder how it is that the main
0:05:42 > 0:05:45ingredients of these drinks aren't the fancier fruits
0:05:45 > 0:05:48that are labelled on the front but the altogether more familiar
0:05:48 > 0:05:51ones that are found listed on the back.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55Well, some of the fruits in his smoothie don't come cheap.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57So is price the explanation?
0:05:57 > 0:05:59- Thanks.- Thank you.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01Kate Harrison from Shaw in Lancashire
0:06:01 > 0:06:03makes a living out of selling fruit and veg.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06So she knows how much they are likely to cost.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09She compared for us the cost of two of the ingredients
0:06:09 > 0:06:11in the smoothie that Dave bought.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14Starting with the blueberries that make up 3% of the drink.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17So, if we were to take some blueberries...
0:06:18 > 0:06:21They work out about 11.20 per kilo.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24Next, she looked at the fruit that comes just
0:06:24 > 0:06:27ahead of blueberries in the ingredients list. Oranges.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30And it's immediately obvious which comes out cheaper.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32The bulk of the product...
0:06:32 > 0:06:36Say, for example, an orange, which is part of the smoothie.
0:06:36 > 0:06:40That works out about £1.65 per kilo.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43So, looking at the comparisons between the two, the bulk
0:06:43 > 0:06:48of the item is substantially cheaper than the "main stated product."
0:06:48 > 0:06:52So that is nearly £10 difference per kilo.
0:06:53 > 0:06:57So the fruit that makes up the bulk of most smoothies,
0:06:57 > 0:07:00the ingredients of which you'll usually find on either
0:07:00 > 0:07:01the back or the side of most cartons,
0:07:01 > 0:07:05are likely to be a lot more commonplace and certainly cheaper
0:07:05 > 0:07:09than the rather exotic names that you'll find printed on the front.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11And let's face it,
0:07:11 > 0:07:14most of us probably would be prepared to pay just that little bit
0:07:14 > 0:07:18extra for ingredients like pomegranate, blueberries and acai
0:07:18 > 0:07:21rather than common old grape and banana.
0:07:21 > 0:07:25But while the ingredients list on the back of the bottle spells
0:07:25 > 0:07:27this out very clearly,
0:07:27 > 0:07:28Dave isn't alone in wondering
0:07:28 > 0:07:31if what it says on the front of these smoothies
0:07:31 > 0:07:35and blended juices is as clear as it could be.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37- You drink smoothies. BOTH:- Yes.
0:07:37 > 0:07:38So look at these labels and tell me
0:07:38 > 0:07:41what do you think you're going to be getting in each of these packets.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44- It says it's pure so probably, yeah, probably 100%.- Yeah.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47- Yeah, I reckon.- You reckon that in your smoothie you're going to
0:07:47 > 0:07:50get 100% of what it says on the label on the front?
0:07:50 > 0:07:51- I think so.- That's what I think.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54And how much of those ingredients would you expect to
0:07:54 > 0:07:55be in the cartons?
0:07:55 > 0:07:57Well, one third, one third, one third.
0:07:57 > 0:08:02- 29%.- Oh.- The rest of it, though, is made up of orange and apple juice.
0:08:02 > 0:08:06Which is shocking. Cos why are they pushing those varieties of fruit?
0:08:06 > 0:08:09On the bottom, it does say that there are other things.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11- And on the back of that one it tells you.- In smaller text, yeah.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14- You wouldn't look at that? - No. No. Cos it's on the front.
0:08:14 > 0:08:15You're buying it with your eyes.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18But to put Dave's suspicions at rest,
0:08:18 > 0:08:20no-one is pulling a fast one here.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23And certainly none of these drinks are falling foul of any
0:08:23 > 0:08:25labelling rules or regulations.
0:08:25 > 0:08:29There is no legal definition of what a smoothie should be made up of.
0:08:29 > 0:08:33And provided all the ingredients are listed in the right order,
0:08:33 > 0:08:35manufacturers are perfectly entitled to put whatever
0:08:35 > 0:08:37they like on their labels.
0:08:37 > 0:08:41There are laws that apply to other blended juice drinks, such
0:08:41 > 0:08:45as the Tropicana mango, peach and papaya juice that we saw earlier.
0:08:45 > 0:08:49But even then, as long as all the bulk ingredients are listed
0:08:49 > 0:08:52somewhere on the front of the bottle - no matter how small -
0:08:52 > 0:08:55they too can market their juice under whatever name they like.
0:08:55 > 0:08:57But the issue here isn't really about
0:08:57 > 0:08:59the way a product is described,
0:08:59 > 0:09:02it's how it's made.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04Because that's what explains why the main ingredients aren't
0:09:04 > 0:09:07always what you might think.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10Rhiannon Rees has worked for a number of smoothie manufacturers
0:09:10 > 0:09:14and knows that to get something to sell it's got to taste good.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17If you're trying to sell it and market it commercially,
0:09:17 > 0:09:19it needs to be really cost effective.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22So you need to make sure that you're using delicious ingredients
0:09:22 > 0:09:25but probably in a quantity that's not going to bankrupt you.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28And also making sure that you are still getting that really
0:09:28 > 0:09:31nice flavour balance, getting all of the right ingredients.
0:09:31 > 0:09:36And that balance, not to mention taste, wouldn't be achieved if you
0:09:36 > 0:09:39simply used the fruits that might be mentioned in a product's name.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42To show why, Rhiannon got some volunteers to make
0:09:42 > 0:09:46versions of the exotic sounding smoothies that we looked at before.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49- Is this going in as well, the seeds?- No, no.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52You want to get rid of the seeds, definitely. Those can be discarded.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55First, they're blending together only the fruits
0:09:55 > 0:09:58listed on the front of the bottle or carton.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00But it becomes clear very quickly that the result isn't
0:10:00 > 0:10:02especially appealing.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04It's thick, lumpy and bitter to taste.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07See, it's almost more of a sort of puree consistency.
0:10:07 > 0:10:11So, in goes the banana, the basis for most smoothies
0:10:11 > 0:10:15because they add a natural sweetness and help with the texture.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18The other smoothies have the orange or apple juice added.
0:10:18 > 0:10:19They have a lot of liquid in them.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22And again, that's not to bulk out the product with cheaper
0:10:22 > 0:10:24ingredients, but to give it the consistency
0:10:24 > 0:10:26and the flavour that it needs.
0:10:26 > 0:10:28Now the consistency is a lot better.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31Without those additions, smoothies just wouldn't taste right.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34They'd be full of the ingredients you might have expected,
0:10:34 > 0:10:36but you'd be less likely to buy them.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38Mm, it's nice.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41When we spoke to the juice and smoothie manufacturers,
0:10:41 > 0:10:45they reiterated that their labels comply with all UK
0:10:45 > 0:10:47and EU labelling regulations.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50Innocent explained that the recipe name on the front
0:10:50 > 0:10:53of its drinks is based on what the smoothie tastes of.
0:10:53 > 0:10:57So the pomegranate, blueberry and acai one is called that...
0:11:01 > 0:11:04The company said there'd be no point adding the word banana to the
0:11:04 > 0:11:07name as the product doesn't taste of banana.
0:11:07 > 0:11:09And, in any case, it's satisfied that its labelling,
0:11:09 > 0:11:14which has been reviewed by independent experts, is clear.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17Innocent went on to stress that it's only by adding the juice and
0:11:17 > 0:11:21banana base that smoothies are more than simply pureed fruit solids.
0:11:21 > 0:11:25And the variety of fruit in both juice and pureed form
0:11:25 > 0:11:29is why they can account for two of your five-a-day.
0:11:29 > 0:11:34And PepsiCo, which makes both Tropicana and Naked juices, told us
0:11:34 > 0:11:38that its products too are named with the dominant fruit flavours in mind.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42It said very strong or sour flavoured fruits,
0:11:42 > 0:11:45like the cranberries used in its Red Machine drink, don't give
0:11:45 > 0:11:49the right flavour or consistency when used in high quantities.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53Instead they're blended with softer flavours.
0:11:53 > 0:11:55So, Dave Moore from Cambridge,
0:11:55 > 0:11:58there's no need for your smoothie to leave a bitter
0:11:58 > 0:11:59taste in the mouth, and hopefully,
0:11:59 > 0:12:02knowing that the cheaper fruit has to be there
0:12:02 > 0:12:04alongside those more expensive flavours
0:12:04 > 0:12:07will make the price a little bit easier to swallow.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14After spending decades in the culinary
0:12:14 > 0:12:15and nutritional wilderness,
0:12:15 > 0:12:18copping the blame for everything from heart disease to
0:12:18 > 0:12:21high cholesterol, many people are delighted to say that butter
0:12:21 > 0:12:22is back on the menu.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26And being honest, in our house it never really went away.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28But when is butter not quite butter?
0:12:28 > 0:12:31That's the question one viewer asked after noticing what
0:12:31 > 0:12:34he thought was the real deal was actually nothing of the kind.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36And he wanted to find out why.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40Ah, butter.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43It's natural, tastes great, and for generations,
0:12:43 > 0:12:45was a staple of every family kitchen.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49From our morning toast to our tea-time cakes...
0:12:49 > 0:12:52Here you are. It's butter too. Real butter.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55Mm. Wonderful.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57Only butter tastes like butter.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01But as the health-conscious 1980s dawned,
0:13:01 > 0:13:03but went firmly out of fashion.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07As the saturated fat it contained was linked to heart disease.
0:13:09 > 0:13:10For years we had a love affair.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14Then we found out the butter we loved had cholesterol.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17We were all told that not only was modern margarine
0:13:17 > 0:13:21better for us, but it would spread straight from the fridge as well.
0:13:23 > 0:13:24But over the years,
0:13:24 > 0:13:27butter has battled its way back into our hearts.
0:13:27 > 0:13:31And in 2015, the original warnings made about it were found
0:13:31 > 0:13:33to have been based on flawed data.
0:13:33 > 0:13:36Therefore cementing its place in our hearts once and for all.
0:13:36 > 0:13:40And by now, a range of new products sought to prove that you could
0:13:40 > 0:13:44still get that buttery taste and spread it straight from the fridge.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47They look like butter. Their names sound like they are butter.
0:13:47 > 0:13:49But they are not.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52Rip-Off Britain viewer John Lomax from Preston wasn't happy
0:13:52 > 0:13:57when he realised that that was the case with the one that he'd bought.
0:13:57 > 0:13:59I thought, "Oh, butter."
0:13:59 > 0:14:02But when I looked at the list of ingredients
0:14:02 > 0:14:07I found that it only has about 20% butter content.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09And that shocked me.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14Although John had assumed from the name it was butter,
0:14:14 > 0:14:17Tesco's Butterpak only contains 26% of butter.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20The rest is mainly oils and water.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23I thought that they couldn't do that.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28They are pulling the wool over our eyes.
0:14:28 > 0:14:32In fact, Tesco isn't pulling the wool over anybody's eyes.
0:14:32 > 0:14:36The store didn't comment on John's concern but its Butterpak is
0:14:36 > 0:14:39clearly labelled as a spread and not as a butter.
0:14:39 > 0:14:44And spreads don't need to contain as much butter as the real thing.
0:14:44 > 0:14:46The law says that true butter
0:14:46 > 0:14:50has to contain between 80% and 90% milk fat.
0:14:50 > 0:14:54So when it comes to buying spreads or butter, always check the label
0:14:54 > 0:14:59as spreads only usually contain butter as one of the ingredients.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02But when you have spreads being produced by some of the best-known
0:15:02 > 0:15:05butter manufacturers, often under the same name
0:15:05 > 0:15:08and with their buttery taste being the main selling point,
0:15:08 > 0:15:11it's easy for the shopper to get very confused.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13So would you know how much butter
0:15:13 > 0:15:15some of the best known spreads contain?
0:15:15 > 0:15:18Let's have a bit of a guessing game then.
0:15:18 > 0:15:19Here we have Anchor.
0:15:19 > 0:15:21Which is a very popular-selling one.
0:15:21 > 0:15:23- I'd say 80%.- 80%.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26- 54%.- Is it?- 54.
0:15:26 > 0:15:27And this one?
0:15:29 > 0:15:32- 60.- 26.- My goodness!
0:15:32 > 0:15:35- I use that one.- You do? OK, you like the taste?
0:15:35 > 0:15:36I like proper butter.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40Would you be surprised then to know that only 64% of butter?
0:15:40 > 0:15:42..butter, is it? Yeah.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45I knew it wasn't all butter because when you get the blocks,
0:15:45 > 0:15:47- you can't spread them in winter. - No, it's true.- Mm.
0:15:47 > 0:15:49What do you think that one would be?
0:15:51 > 0:15:54- Butter.- Butter.- Mostly butter. - Mostly butter? OK.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57- In actual fact, it's only 33%.- Oh, right.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00- So are you surprised at that? - Yes, I am.- Yeah.
0:16:00 > 0:16:02We contacted some of the brand leaders
0:16:02 > 0:16:04in the world of buttery spreads.
0:16:05 > 0:16:09Arla Foods, which makes the spreadable versions of Lurpak
0:16:09 > 0:16:13and Anchor, told us that its packs are clearly labelled and are...
0:16:17 > 0:16:20And the makers of Clover and I Can't Believe It's Not Butter both
0:16:20 > 0:16:24said that their products are lower in saturated fat than butter
0:16:24 > 0:16:26while maintaining a buttery taste.
0:16:28 > 0:16:33While their butter content clearly varies, John wants to find out how
0:16:33 > 0:16:37else these spreads differ from both the real thing and indeed margarine.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41So we've brought him to Huddersfield University
0:16:41 > 0:16:43to meet research scientist Dr Laura Waters.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47So, butter is a really simple product.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50It's literally just butterfat and water.
0:16:50 > 0:16:51It's as simple as you can get.
0:16:51 > 0:16:55If you go to the margarines, they would be vegetable oil based.
0:16:55 > 0:16:59And the spreads, they would tend to be oil and butter mixtures.
0:16:59 > 0:17:01They would have a lot less butter in them.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04How can you make butter more spreadable?
0:17:04 > 0:17:06You can make your own spreadable butter.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09The way that industry does it is it adds in oils.
0:17:09 > 0:17:11It will add in some water.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14And because of that, it will also add other ingredients as well.
0:17:14 > 0:17:16So it'd need to add some emulsifier,
0:17:16 > 0:17:18which keeps the oil and water mixed together.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21Industry may also add things such as preservatives,
0:17:21 > 0:17:23to extend the shelf-life,
0:17:23 > 0:17:24colourings and flavourings.
0:17:24 > 0:17:28- Would you like me to show you how to make spreadable butter?- Yes, please.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34If you're going for the, say, 60% butter option,
0:17:34 > 0:17:38obviously it's going to be 60% butter and 40% oil.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41So, we have 60g of butter in there.
0:17:41 > 0:17:46To this we're going to add 40 of oil.
0:17:46 > 0:17:47And you simply mix the two together.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56Now, it may look at this stage like liquid rather than a solid.
0:17:56 > 0:17:58Once you've cooled this down in the fridge,
0:17:58 > 0:18:02then it will return to a more butter-like consistency
0:18:02 > 0:18:03that you might expect.
0:18:05 > 0:18:09Dr Waters is making up two different types of spreadable butter
0:18:09 > 0:18:10for us to put to the test.
0:18:10 > 0:18:15One was 60% butter, similar to some of the brand-leading spreadables.
0:18:15 > 0:18:19And one with 25%, around the same amount as the Butterpak
0:18:19 > 0:18:21that John bought.
0:18:21 > 0:18:22And we're going to see how they fare
0:18:22 > 0:18:26in one of the toughest tests of all - baking a cake.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31We've set up our own buttery bake-off
0:18:31 > 0:18:34and we've asked these enthusiastic bakers from Huddersfield
0:18:34 > 0:18:37to create their meanest Victoria sponge.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39Each will use one of four different ingredients.
0:18:39 > 0:18:43The two spreads Dr Waters has just made, a real butter,
0:18:43 > 0:18:45and a margarine.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48Now, our bakers have no idea which they've been given.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51But Irene here is cooking with full butter.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54It feels like the butter I use actually when I'm baking at home.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57Megan is using a simple baking spread,
0:18:57 > 0:19:02an off-the-shelf margarine that contains no pure butter whatsoever.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05Kaye has Dr Waters' 60% butter spread.
0:19:05 > 0:19:09And Lucy has Dr Waters' 25% butter spread.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12It's a lot easier to whisk than theirs
0:19:12 > 0:19:14so I've got that going for it.
0:19:17 > 0:19:24So, ingredients beaten, battered, baked, cooled and decorated.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27It's time to add some real heat for our bakers
0:19:27 > 0:19:30as these discerning staff and students arrive
0:19:30 > 0:19:32to judge their culinary creations.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39It's a funny consistency, isn't it?
0:19:39 > 0:19:42There's something about the sponge that just doesn't sit right.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44Needs a bit more sugar.
0:19:44 > 0:19:46I think it needs to be sweeter.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50So, question is, which spread came out best in our test?
0:19:50 > 0:19:54Most popular with our volunteers was the one made with margarine.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57Five of them went for that one.
0:19:57 > 0:19:59Two preferred the taste of the cake
0:19:59 > 0:20:02made with Dr Waters' 60% butter spread.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05And one plumped for the one made with 25% butter.
0:20:05 > 0:20:09But none of them chose the cake made with pure butter.
0:20:09 > 0:20:13I'm quite surprised this was made with 25% butter spread.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16I'd consider using it myself.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19The sponge was very nice. I thought it was perfect, in my opinion.
0:20:19 > 0:20:21I'm not surprised it's made from margarine.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24- Yeah.- I agree, yeah.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27So there you go. Top marks for margarine on the baking.
0:20:27 > 0:20:31But all of this still leaves John with one crucial question.
0:20:31 > 0:20:35We've been hearing over the past few years that butter's
0:20:35 > 0:20:38good for you, butter's not good for you,
0:20:38 > 0:20:41margarine is good for you, and margarine isn't.
0:20:41 > 0:20:43Which is good, which is bad?
0:20:43 > 0:20:47There are lots of studies which seem to say that the saturated fat,
0:20:47 > 0:20:49so things such as the butter, they're not so good for you.
0:20:49 > 0:20:51They can cause cardiovascular disease,
0:20:51 > 0:20:54they can cause types of cancer, that sort of thing.
0:20:54 > 0:20:56However, there are also lots of other studies
0:20:56 > 0:20:58on the unsaturated fats,
0:20:58 > 0:20:59so that's the oil-based products,
0:20:59 > 0:21:02which say they're not so good for you either.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05This is especially true if you're cooking with one of these products.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08So, because there are studies for both sides,
0:21:08 > 0:21:10I would say just keep it in moderation,
0:21:10 > 0:21:13go for the one you prefer, and if you don't have too much
0:21:13 > 0:21:16of either of them, then you should be fine.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19But for John, there's no doubt which one he prefers.
0:21:19 > 0:21:20Butter.
0:21:20 > 0:21:22The taste is so much better.
0:21:22 > 0:21:24I know it's personal preference
0:21:24 > 0:21:28but at least I know what has gone into the product.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37Still to come on Rip-Off Britain...
0:21:37 > 0:21:40Why the rules that protect a Cornish pasty
0:21:40 > 0:21:43could put this cheese-maker out of business.
0:21:44 > 0:21:45It is very frustrating.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47It can happen just like that,
0:21:47 > 0:21:49and it's totally out of your control.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52So...so, it's a difficult thing to get used to.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58Now, there are some products where the difference between
0:21:58 > 0:22:02the cheapest and the most expensive on the supermarket shelves
0:22:02 > 0:22:05can be explained purely by the quality of the ingredients.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08In other words, you're getting what you pay for.
0:22:08 > 0:22:12But we've been contacted by one viewer who wanted to know when that
0:22:12 > 0:22:17explanation still stands for the staple of her diet, which is honey.
0:22:17 > 0:22:21Now, the priciest jars can cost as much as ten times more
0:22:21 > 0:22:22than the most affordable.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25So how much do they actually vary in quality?
0:22:25 > 0:22:27Should you stick with the cheaper pots?
0:22:27 > 0:22:31Or is it actually worth paying just that little bit extra?
0:22:33 > 0:22:37British shoppers now spend more on honey than on jam.
0:22:37 > 0:22:41A whopping £119 million last year.
0:22:41 > 0:22:43And it's a trend which some people put down to
0:22:43 > 0:22:45people switching from using sugar.
0:22:45 > 0:22:47Which is certainly what Rip-Off Britain viewer
0:22:47 > 0:22:49Yvonne Sayer has done.
0:22:49 > 0:22:53But Yvonne wrote to us wondering why there is such a huge price gap
0:22:53 > 0:22:58between the cheapest and the most expensive varieties on sale.
0:22:58 > 0:23:02I want to know, what is the difference between £1 jar
0:23:02 > 0:23:07of honey and a more expensive jar of £15 and even more?
0:23:09 > 0:23:11The cheapest honey on sale in British supermarkets
0:23:11 > 0:23:14typically sells for around £1.
0:23:14 > 0:23:18Then there is the mid-range of honeys costing between £2 and £4.
0:23:18 > 0:23:19And at the top end,
0:23:19 > 0:23:26specialist honeys, like Manuka, can sell for up to £100 a jar.
0:23:26 > 0:23:27So what is the difference?
0:23:27 > 0:23:30Well, to help answer Yvonne's question, I've come to meet
0:23:30 > 0:23:34David Wainwright, President of the National Bee Farmers Association,
0:23:34 > 0:23:37at his farm in Aberystwyth.
0:23:37 > 0:23:39- Hi, David.- Hello.
0:23:39 > 0:23:40- Nice to see you.- Nice to meet you.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43So are we going to go out and see your hives, are we?
0:23:43 > 0:23:47David's farm yields about 25 tonnes of honey a year.
0:23:47 > 0:23:49This might sound like a lot, but actually,
0:23:49 > 0:23:52British bees are only producing a fraction of all
0:23:52 > 0:23:55the honey that we consume in this country every year.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58It's other countries like China, Russia, Argentina, Mexico
0:23:58 > 0:24:00who are the big honey producers.
0:24:00 > 0:24:04But David says he prefers the taste of British honey.
0:24:04 > 0:24:06We produce a lot of different varieties.
0:24:06 > 0:24:10And all these varieties of honey have got a unique flavour
0:24:10 > 0:24:12and characteristics to them.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15Because they are produced from a different plant
0:24:15 > 0:24:19and that plant contributes slightly different flavours
0:24:19 > 0:24:23and sugars to the nectar which the bees make the honey out of.
0:24:26 > 0:24:30To show me just how varied honey flavours can be, David is
0:24:30 > 0:24:34putting my taste buds to the test with four very different types.
0:24:34 > 0:24:38We've got English, French, Ethiopian and Welsh.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40This is the English one.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43That's from Salisbury Plain.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45- And that's got a cinnamon type of flavour to it.- Mm!
0:24:45 > 0:24:48- This is the French one. - That's French lavender
0:24:48 > 0:24:51which comes from the lavender fields in the South of France.
0:24:51 > 0:24:52A bit earthy, actually.
0:24:52 > 0:24:54Ethiopian.
0:24:54 > 0:24:57This is from the rainforest in the south-west of Ethiopia.
0:24:57 > 0:24:59- Mm-hm. - It comes from a large forest tree.
0:24:59 > 0:25:03- It's quite sort of sweet and light. - Yeah.- Yeah.
0:25:03 > 0:25:04And this one is the Welsh one.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07- This is the Welsh one, gathered from hives around here.- Right.
0:25:07 > 0:25:11So this is from blackberry, willow herb, clover.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13Mm!
0:25:13 > 0:25:14Oh, yes!
0:25:14 > 0:25:16- I can taste the flowers.- Yeah.
0:25:18 > 0:25:24Much like fine wine, it's these rich regional variations that give
0:25:24 > 0:25:26pure honey its distinctive taste.
0:25:26 > 0:25:27Which stands it apart
0:25:27 > 0:25:30from the cheaper, processed jars in the supermarket.
0:25:30 > 0:25:33These mass produced jars contain a mix of honeys
0:25:33 > 0:25:35blended together from different sources.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38To show just how that affects the taste,
0:25:38 > 0:25:42David has blended together the pure honeys that I just tasted.
0:25:42 > 0:25:46What happens if we mix these four different types with
0:25:46 > 0:25:48all their individual flavours?
0:25:48 > 0:25:50What happens if we mix them all together?
0:25:50 > 0:25:52Do the flavours sort of counteract one another
0:25:52 > 0:25:54or can you still taste them?
0:25:54 > 0:25:56What else comes out? Yeah.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01And it quickly becomes clear that
0:26:01 > 0:26:04all those subtleties in taste have gone.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07Replaced instead by a perfectly pleasant
0:26:07 > 0:26:10but much more middle-of-the-road flavour.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12It's sweet.
0:26:12 > 0:26:16I can't any longer taste that distinctive floral that
0:26:16 > 0:26:21I got from the Welsh or the lavender that I got from the French one.
0:26:23 > 0:26:24It's very pleasant.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27But it doesn't have a distinctive taste
0:26:27 > 0:26:29- as they did when they were separate.- Yes.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32And of course, that's what's happening with the cheaper
0:26:32 > 0:26:34- varieties of honey, isn't it?- Yes.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37You are not going for a specific flavour, you are just going
0:26:37 > 0:26:41for honey, but not one that you can distinguish from anything else.
0:26:41 > 0:26:43That's right. That's exactly it, yeah.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45I think you've invented a new honey, David.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48HE LAUGHS
0:26:48 > 0:26:51The increase in sales of honey has been linked to consumers
0:26:51 > 0:26:54wanting to replace sugar in their diet.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56Like Rip-Off Britain viewer Yvonne.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59But she wants to know, was she right to switch?
0:26:59 > 0:27:01I changed from sugar to honey
0:27:01 > 0:27:04thinking it was better for me. Is it?
0:27:05 > 0:27:08Yvonne says she buys three jars of honey a month
0:27:08 > 0:27:10and uses it in place of sugar.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12Normally spending about £1.50 on a jar
0:27:12 > 0:27:16that would typically last between one and two weeks.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19She wants to know whether that's money well spent
0:27:19 > 0:27:23and whether it really is better for her than plain old sugar.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26To find out, we brought Yvonne to meet nutritionist Ian Marber.
0:27:28 > 0:27:31I wanted to know the nutritional value,
0:27:31 > 0:27:34the difference between sugar and honey.
0:27:34 > 0:27:38Yvonne began to replace the sugar in her diet with honey
0:27:38 > 0:27:42nine months ago after years of ill health.
0:27:42 > 0:27:46I always associate it with the idea of the monks in the olden days
0:27:46 > 0:27:51using it for medicinal purposes, that it's good for you.
0:27:51 > 0:27:53A lot of people use honey in favour of sugar
0:27:53 > 0:27:54because they think it's a lot better.
0:27:54 > 0:27:56Honey does have some nutritional value to it
0:27:56 > 0:27:59but it's not as great as people tend to think.
0:27:59 > 0:28:01- You might put it in some tea, for instance.- Yeah.
0:28:01 > 0:28:03- So you put like a tablespoon in or a teaspoon?- Oh, no. No, no.
0:28:03 > 0:28:07- A teaspoon.- A teaspoon is very interesting because that teaspoon,
0:28:07 > 0:28:13which is that amount, is actually going to have 10g of sugar in it.
0:28:13 > 0:28:15Which is actually the same amount of sugar that you're going to find
0:28:15 > 0:28:19in four squares of milk chocolate.
0:28:19 > 0:28:22And Ian reckons that honey's reputation for being
0:28:22 > 0:28:26rich in vitamins and minerals is also a bit of a myth.
0:28:26 > 0:28:29This is a tablespoon of honey, 21g.
0:28:29 > 0:28:32And in that you've only actually got 1.3mg,
0:28:32 > 0:28:35not grams, 1.3mg of calcium.
0:28:35 > 0:28:38- OK? So it's not a huge amount of minerals in there.- No.
0:28:38 > 0:28:39To give you an example,
0:28:39 > 0:28:43there is 210mg of calcium in an ounce of Cheddar.
0:28:43 > 0:28:46Some of the expensive honeys will have more vitamins
0:28:46 > 0:28:47and more minerals in them.
0:28:47 > 0:28:51But because there is a halo of health around foods like honey,
0:28:51 > 0:28:54we are likely to eat more in one go.
0:28:54 > 0:28:57We actually tend to use more of it because we think it's better for us.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00The problem is that it's still rich in sugars.
0:29:00 > 0:29:03A different type of sugars that are processed very slightly differently.
0:29:03 > 0:29:05But the truth is, though, once it's past your mouth
0:29:05 > 0:29:08and past your stomach and it's in your intestines, it's not
0:29:08 > 0:29:11treated any differently than sugar that might be in milk chocolate.
0:29:11 > 0:29:15Ian's advice for Yvonne isn't simply to swap one
0:29:15 > 0:29:19kind of sugar for another, as she has effectively done by switching
0:29:19 > 0:29:22to honey, but to reduce her taste for sweet foods altogether.
0:29:22 > 0:29:24So less is more?
0:29:24 > 0:29:25Absolutely.
0:29:25 > 0:29:28I think that's the key, getting used to food that's less sweet.
0:29:28 > 0:29:32So there is no need for Yvonne to turn her back on honey altogether.
0:29:32 > 0:29:36But armed with Ian's advice, she's planning to change
0:29:36 > 0:29:40the way that she sweetens her food in the future.
0:29:40 > 0:29:42I'm really surprised about the little difference
0:29:42 > 0:29:46between processed white sugar and honey.
0:29:46 > 0:29:48I'm certainly going to use less.
0:29:48 > 0:29:54I'm certainly not going to pay the very, very expensive.
0:29:54 > 0:29:57I'm going to be very careful, but cut down.
0:30:05 > 0:30:08Sales of supermarkets' own-brand products now account for over
0:30:08 > 0:30:10half of all the food they sell.
0:30:10 > 0:30:14But while fans of the more expensive brands insist that they give
0:30:14 > 0:30:17you a better quality and taste, chef Mark Lloyd, who has
0:30:17 > 0:30:22worked in some of the world's top restaurants, doesn't agree.
0:30:22 > 0:30:24I think we have a little bit of an obsession with brands.
0:30:24 > 0:30:27I think it's maybe because our parents bought them
0:30:27 > 0:30:28and we always saw them growing up.
0:30:28 > 0:30:31Mark's confident that if you make two versions of the same dish,
0:30:31 > 0:30:34one with ingredients from the best-known big-names
0:30:34 > 0:30:38and the other with cheap and cheerful supermarket own-brands,
0:30:38 > 0:30:40you won't be able to guess which is which.
0:30:40 > 0:30:43I really don't think you can tell the difference between premium
0:30:43 > 0:30:46and economy ingredients once they are blended together.
0:30:46 > 0:30:48And I'm so sure of this I'm going to prove it.
0:30:48 > 0:30:52We asked Mark to make a simple spaghetti bolognese for four.
0:30:52 > 0:30:54It's basically mince, pasta, tomatoes,
0:30:54 > 0:30:56some herbs and a sprinkling of cheese.
0:30:56 > 0:30:59He's been out to buy the ingredients twice.
0:31:01 > 0:31:03One set of ingredients is from the branded range,
0:31:03 > 0:31:06all the brands that you know and love in the supermarkets.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09The other is from their own range,
0:31:09 > 0:31:11their kind of budget or their own labelled range.
0:31:11 > 0:31:15The ingredients for our spag bol from the bigger brands cost £5.49.
0:31:15 > 0:31:20But the supermarket's own-brand versions added up to just £2.49.
0:31:20 > 0:31:22That's a 50% saving.
0:31:22 > 0:31:23So let's get cooking.
0:31:25 > 0:31:27OK, there are a few things that you shouldn't really scrimp on,
0:31:27 > 0:31:29that are worth spending a few extra pennies on.
0:31:29 > 0:31:31Whole pieces of meat.
0:31:31 > 0:31:33Roasting joints, whole chickens, things like that.
0:31:33 > 0:31:35Fresh fish, vegetables
0:31:35 > 0:31:38and fruit are always worth spending a little few extra pennies on.
0:31:38 > 0:31:41But things like your tinned goods and jars of things,
0:31:41 > 0:31:45things like tomato puree are worth shopping around for
0:31:45 > 0:31:47and getting the best deal on.
0:31:47 > 0:31:50Well, I think that's going to be a tough one to pick.
0:31:50 > 0:31:54So the two versions are ready and on standby are three of Mark's staff
0:31:54 > 0:31:57who reckon they know their bland from their brand.
0:31:58 > 0:32:01Dish one is the cheaper version.
0:32:01 > 0:32:03And dish two is the branded one.
0:32:04 > 0:32:07Waitress Danielle goes straight to the expensive dish.
0:32:09 > 0:32:11And then it's waiter John's turn to see
0:32:11 > 0:32:13if he can spot the difference.
0:32:13 > 0:32:16And now the Italian. Making pasta for an Italian.
0:32:16 > 0:32:19Yeah, nothing should get past the chef Mateo.
0:32:20 > 0:32:24But let's see which dish the three of them prefer.
0:32:24 > 0:32:27So which one do you think's got the most expensive ingredients in?
0:32:27 > 0:32:30- Number two.- So number two.
0:32:30 > 0:32:32- You think?- I think this one.
0:32:32 > 0:32:34- You think number one.- Yeah.
0:32:34 > 0:32:36- Matty, split decision.- One.
0:32:36 > 0:32:37- Number one?- Yep.
0:32:38 > 0:32:43I can tell you that that was the most expensive ingredients.
0:32:43 > 0:32:45That was the cheaper ingredients.
0:32:45 > 0:32:50So you picked the more expensive and you guys picked the cheaper one.
0:32:50 > 0:32:52Now, that's hardly a scientific test.
0:32:52 > 0:32:56But considering two out of the three went for the cheaper dish,
0:32:56 > 0:32:59maybe it's true that when it comes to brands versus own-labels,
0:32:59 > 0:33:03paying less doesn't mean you will end up scrimping on flavour too.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06I think that just goes to show you can create amazing food with
0:33:06 > 0:33:08non-branded ingredients.
0:33:08 > 0:33:10Try and go out there and find yourself a bargain.
0:33:10 > 0:33:13Meanwhile, I'm off to finish this. Thanks.
0:33:17 > 0:33:212016 has been officially designated by the Government
0:33:21 > 0:33:23as the year of British food,
0:33:23 > 0:33:26celebrating the best in British produce right across the UK.
0:33:26 > 0:33:30As part of that, there is a push to award more regional foods
0:33:30 > 0:33:32the protected status that guarantees they've been
0:33:32 > 0:33:34made in the places that you'd think they had.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37It's a way of heralding local specialities.
0:33:37 > 0:33:39And it can really benefit businesses in the area
0:33:39 > 0:33:41that win such recognition.
0:33:41 > 0:33:43But, you know, there is another side to the coin.
0:33:43 > 0:33:46And as you'll see, there are British businesses
0:33:46 > 0:33:48for whom that is not such a good idea.
0:33:50 > 0:33:53Wensleydale cheese from Wensleydale.
0:33:53 > 0:33:56Melton Mowbray pork pies from Melton Mowbray.
0:33:56 > 0:33:59And traditional Cumberland sausage from...
0:33:59 > 0:34:01Well, you've got the picture.
0:34:01 > 0:34:04All part and parcel of our food heritage.
0:34:04 > 0:34:06And to some people, that's worth a lot.
0:34:06 > 0:34:08I think buying British is important.
0:34:08 > 0:34:12We should support local producers and local suppliers
0:34:12 > 0:34:16rather than importing the food that we grow in this country.
0:34:16 > 0:34:18I just think it's better to buy local.
0:34:18 > 0:34:20I mean, if I can support the local farmers or whatever,
0:34:20 > 0:34:22that's what I like to do.
0:34:22 > 0:34:23I think it supports our economy.
0:34:23 > 0:34:25And not only that, I think the food is better.
0:34:25 > 0:34:27You know where the quality is coming from.
0:34:27 > 0:34:29So I do prefer buying British, yeah.
0:34:29 > 0:34:33Some of the best of this British food has been able to obtain
0:34:33 > 0:34:36what's called geographically protected status.
0:34:36 > 0:34:40That means, under EU law, it can only be sold using a particular name
0:34:40 > 0:34:42if it meets certain requirements.
0:34:42 > 0:34:46Most often that it's been produced in the area where that
0:34:46 > 0:34:49specific product first came from, using a very particular method.
0:34:51 > 0:34:55Examples of these could include a Melton Mowbray pork pie
0:34:55 > 0:34:57or for many, a big favourite, the Cornish pasty.
0:34:57 > 0:34:59But what about the food producers
0:34:59 > 0:35:01living outside these geographical areas?
0:35:01 > 0:35:05They may have been making exactly the same products for generations,
0:35:05 > 0:35:07but now because of EU laws,
0:35:07 > 0:35:10they will no longer be able to call them the same thing.
0:35:10 > 0:35:13So why, if essentially they are the same no matter where
0:35:13 > 0:35:16they are made, does it really matter where they actually come from?
0:35:20 > 0:35:23That's very much the view of the dairy farmer Mark Hardy.
0:35:23 > 0:35:26He's in the business of making cheese.
0:35:26 > 0:35:29Not, however, one typical of West Sussex, where he farms,
0:35:29 > 0:35:33but halloumi, more commonly associated with Cyprus.
0:35:33 > 0:35:34So, Mark, for me
0:35:34 > 0:35:37it's always fascinating to come into the hub of everything.
0:35:37 > 0:35:39He's been making it for 25 years,
0:35:39 > 0:35:41and he used to produce feta cheese as well
0:35:41 > 0:35:46until in 2002, the European Union gave that crumbly favourite
0:35:46 > 0:35:50a protected designation of origin, or a PDO for short.
0:35:50 > 0:35:55It meant that to be called feta the cheese has to be made in Greece.
0:35:55 > 0:35:56What was your reaction
0:35:56 > 0:35:59when you heard that you couldn't call feta feta any more?
0:35:59 > 0:36:02Well, I was obviously annoyed cos it's a part of our business.
0:36:02 > 0:36:04But we just carried on really.
0:36:04 > 0:36:07We renamed the cheese Mediterranean sheep's milk cheese -
0:36:07 > 0:36:09Mediterranean-style sheep's cheese.
0:36:09 > 0:36:12Cos you can't use anything that sounds like feta in feta.
0:36:12 > 0:36:16We still sell quite a lot of it but it's not one of our major cheeses.
0:36:16 > 0:36:19And now Mark's halloumi is under threat as well.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24The UK currently represents the biggest market
0:36:24 > 0:36:25for halloumi cheese in Europe.
0:36:25 > 0:36:29And Mark is one of the handful of producers in this country.
0:36:29 > 0:36:31But that could all change
0:36:31 > 0:36:34if an application by Cyprus to restrict the use of the name
0:36:34 > 0:36:38halloumi to only cheese made in that country goes through.
0:36:38 > 0:36:40What's the current situation?
0:36:40 > 0:36:43Currently, the EU are discussing it and working out
0:36:43 > 0:36:45whether they are going to let it through or not.
0:36:45 > 0:36:48It's a period of consultation and any company, such as us,
0:36:48 > 0:36:50who have been making cheese,
0:36:50 > 0:36:55we've all put in a written application to the EU stating
0:36:55 > 0:36:59our case and why halloumi shouldn't be a protected cheese.
0:37:01 > 0:37:05One of the reasons Mark has objected is that, just like feta,
0:37:05 > 0:37:09halloumi isn't the name of a place but a type of cheese.
0:37:09 > 0:37:12But despite that, for anyone producing halloumi outside Cyprus,
0:37:12 > 0:37:15there's an added geographical spanner in the works.
0:37:15 > 0:37:18And it's all to do with ingredients.
0:37:18 > 0:37:22Some protected products, for example, the Cornish pasty,
0:37:22 > 0:37:25can have their ingredients sourced from anywhere in the world,
0:37:25 > 0:37:28as long as the product is simply assembled in Cornwall
0:37:28 > 0:37:31and follows the designated set method.
0:37:31 > 0:37:35But the specific type of protection Cyprus has applied for
0:37:35 > 0:37:37means that the key ingredients in the cheese
0:37:37 > 0:37:41would have to be from that country as well.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44So no matter how authentic his method of production,
0:37:44 > 0:37:47if the application is agreed, without upping sticks
0:37:47 > 0:37:50and moving his farm to Cyprus and sourcing his ingredients
0:37:50 > 0:37:55from there, Mark simply won't be allowed to call his cheese halloumi.
0:37:55 > 0:37:57How much do you think it will affect you?
0:37:57 > 0:37:59If you go to a supermarket and say,
0:37:59 > 0:38:02"Buy our halloumi cheese, it's not called halloumi,"
0:38:02 > 0:38:04people won't recognise it. They won't buy it.
0:38:04 > 0:38:06So is it a big worry for you?
0:38:06 > 0:38:10It's a worry. 25% of the cheese we make is halloumi cheese.
0:38:10 > 0:38:13If we can't call it halloumi, it's bound to affect our business.
0:38:13 > 0:38:17We employ 12 people here. It's bound to affect them.
0:38:20 > 0:38:22Now, of course, there are many businesses in the UK
0:38:22 > 0:38:25that have benefited from protected status.
0:38:25 > 0:38:27Which is why so many people and the authorities
0:38:27 > 0:38:31so eagerly get behind British products seeking such recognition.
0:38:32 > 0:38:37And some experts are enthusiastic supporters of the scheme as well.
0:38:37 > 0:38:40Because it provides an assurance of trust in a product
0:38:40 > 0:38:41that has tradition behind it.
0:38:42 > 0:38:45I would take the view that protective foods names,
0:38:45 > 0:38:47broadly speaking, are a good thing.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50They are good for the consumer because
0:38:50 > 0:38:52if the consumer wants to buy a specific food
0:38:52 > 0:38:56which is made in a defined place, they have the guarantee that
0:38:56 > 0:38:58what they are buying is an authentic product
0:38:58 > 0:39:00if it's a protected food name.
0:39:00 > 0:39:03I think one of the reasons for the halloumi application
0:39:03 > 0:39:08is that it unites both the Greek and Turkish aspects of Cyprus.
0:39:08 > 0:39:11I mean, food often brings people together.
0:39:11 > 0:39:12And in this example,
0:39:12 > 0:39:17the act of actually formulating the protected food name together
0:39:17 > 0:39:22is an example of two disparate sides with disparate cultures
0:39:22 > 0:39:24actually collaborating for a change.
0:39:24 > 0:39:27With the date for a decision unclear,
0:39:27 > 0:39:31Mark remains on tenterhooks as to what it will mean for his business.
0:39:35 > 0:39:39So to see what potential customers think, he has set up a stall
0:39:39 > 0:39:42with his halloumi and a Cypriot one from the local supermarket
0:39:42 > 0:39:44to try and find out
0:39:44 > 0:39:48whether passing shoppers can tell any difference between the two.
0:39:48 > 0:39:50- Would you like to try some cheese? - Yes, please.
0:39:50 > 0:39:52How bothered with people be
0:39:52 > 0:39:56whether the cheese is made in Cyprus or in Sussex?
0:39:56 > 0:39:58Can you taste any difference?
0:39:58 > 0:40:01- This one.- Yeah, I like that one. - Lovely and creamy.
0:40:01 > 0:40:03This is the halloumi that we make
0:40:03 > 0:40:05and this one comes all the way from Cyprus.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11I think the second one. To be honest, there's not a lot in that.
0:40:15 > 0:40:18I mean, they are both nice. But I think I prefer the first one.
0:40:18 > 0:40:20I'm the same. I think I prefer the first one.
0:40:22 > 0:40:25Of the nine people who tasted both cheeses,
0:40:25 > 0:40:28seven preferred Mark's halloumi.
0:40:28 > 0:40:31But would they still buy it if it wasn't allowed to call itself that
0:40:31 > 0:40:35and the one they didn't like as much had the rights to the name?
0:40:35 > 0:40:36Would it bother you if
0:40:36 > 0:40:39we weren't allowed to call our halloumi halloumi?
0:40:39 > 0:40:41- No.- Tastes good. So...
0:40:41 > 0:40:44- It's about the taste, not about the names.- Yeah.
0:40:44 > 0:40:46You should call it I Can't Believe It's Not Halloumi.
0:40:46 > 0:40:49MARK LAUGHS
0:40:50 > 0:40:54The EU passed around 62 of these applications in 2015.
0:40:54 > 0:40:57Agreeing protected status for products such as
0:40:57 > 0:40:59a boiled Tuscan sausage,
0:40:59 > 0:41:02a specialist veal from a region of Spain,
0:41:02 > 0:41:05and purple and white asparagus from France.
0:41:05 > 0:41:07But some applications didn't get this far.
0:41:07 > 0:41:11Jersey butter for example was rejected as it was judged
0:41:11 > 0:41:15that its character came from Jersey cows rather than the island itself.
0:41:15 > 0:41:19And Lincolnshire sausages failed to get protected food name status
0:41:19 > 0:41:22partly because other butchers complained
0:41:22 > 0:41:23that there was no evidence
0:41:23 > 0:41:25that the recipe originated in Lincolnshire.
0:41:28 > 0:41:32But for Mark, until the EU makes a decision on halloumi,
0:41:32 > 0:41:36the fate of a big part of his business hangs in the balance.
0:41:36 > 0:41:39And from now, I'm afraid all he can do is wait.
0:41:39 > 0:41:42It is very frustrating. It can happen just like that.
0:41:42 > 0:41:44And it's totally out of your control.
0:41:44 > 0:41:46I'd like to think they'd stick with us,
0:41:46 > 0:41:49if they think it's nicer than the imported halloumi.
0:41:56 > 0:41:59If you've got a story you'd like us to investigate then get in
0:41:59 > 0:42:03touch with us via our Facebook page - BBC Rip Off Britain,
0:42:03 > 0:42:08our website - bbc.co.uk/ripoffbritain,
0:42:08 > 0:42:09or e-mail...
0:42:12 > 0:42:16Or if you want to send us a letter then our address is...
0:42:29 > 0:42:33Well, as we've said many times before, it's amazing what you
0:42:33 > 0:42:36find out when you read the full ingredients of the products we buy.
0:42:36 > 0:42:38Because when you just look at the name or
0:42:38 > 0:42:40the description on the front, you can
0:42:40 > 0:42:44make assumptions that may not be entirely correct, to put it mildly.
0:42:44 > 0:42:47Exactly. But it's important to point out that none of the products that
0:42:47 > 0:42:51we've talked about today are in any way hiding what they've got in them.
0:42:51 > 0:42:54But unless you are right across the full details of all
0:42:54 > 0:42:57the ingredients, it is very easy to leap to
0:42:57 > 0:43:00conclusions about some of the things that we eat and drink.
0:43:00 > 0:43:02And when we find out that we are wrong, well,
0:43:02 > 0:43:05then it's too easy to think that perhaps we've been short changed
0:43:05 > 0:43:08when in fact, that may not be the case at all.
0:43:08 > 0:43:10I do hope you will keep sending us your ideas
0:43:10 > 0:43:13and suggestions for stories. Not just about food, by the way,
0:43:13 > 0:43:16but anything at all that you spend your money on.
0:43:16 > 0:43:18I promise you the team read all your letters and e-mails
0:43:18 > 0:43:21and we are very grateful for every single one.
0:43:21 > 0:43:23So we'll be back to answer more of your questions
0:43:23 > 0:43:25and problems very soon. Until the next time we are together,
0:43:25 > 0:43:27thank you very much for your company.
0:43:27 > 0:43:29- From all of us, bye-bye. - Bye-bye.- Bye.