0:00:03 > 0:00:05There's a lot we DON'T know about the food on our plates.
0:00:05 > 0:00:07And the shops and the labels
0:00:07 > 0:00:09don't always tell you the whole story.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12If you do read the list of ingredients, there's loads of stuff
0:00:12 > 0:00:15in there, and you think, "I don't really want to be eating that.
0:00:15 > 0:00:17"That just sounds like a whole load of chemicals."
0:00:17 > 0:00:22Whether you're staying in or going out, you've told us you can feel
0:00:22 > 0:00:25ripped off by the promises made about what you eat
0:00:25 > 0:00:27AND what you pay for it.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30It drives me mad when I eat out, because often, when I get home,
0:00:30 > 0:00:32I think, "I could have cooked this better myself."
0:00:32 > 0:00:36From claims that don't stack up to the secrets behind the packaging -
0:00:36 > 0:00:40we uncover the truth about Britain's food
0:00:40 > 0:00:43so that you can be sure you ARE getting what you expect,
0:00:43 > 0:00:44at the right price.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48Your food, your money - this is Rip-Off Britain.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54Hello and welcome to Rip-Off Britain, the series that battles
0:00:54 > 0:00:57on your behalf to make sure that however you're spending your money,
0:00:57 > 0:00:59you're getting what you expect.
0:00:59 > 0:01:03But when it comes to things that are food- or diet-related,
0:01:03 > 0:01:05I'm afraid it's not always that simple.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08But as you'll see from some of the stories that are coming up today,
0:01:08 > 0:01:11very often it can be that perhaps you've made an assumption
0:01:11 > 0:01:14that turns out to be wrong... Then there are other situations
0:01:14 > 0:01:16that are really not that straightforward,
0:01:16 > 0:01:17they're just not black-and-white.
0:01:17 > 0:01:21And of course there are always those people who really ARE
0:01:21 > 0:01:23- trying to pull the wool over your eyes.- Sadly.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26But whatever the reason for your expectations being dashed,
0:01:26 > 0:01:29finding out the truth can not only be a surprise,
0:01:29 > 0:01:33but it can occasionally leave a very nasty taste in the mouth as well.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36So, as we look into quite a mixed bag of situations today,
0:01:36 > 0:01:38we'll have plenty of advice to
0:01:38 > 0:01:40ensure that you're buying what you think you are.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45Coming up - on the road with the teams who make sure
0:01:45 > 0:01:48that when a menu says something's local, it really is.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52- Hi, I'm from Trading Standards. Could I speak to the...- Oh, hello.
0:01:52 > 0:01:54..manager or the owner, please?
0:01:54 > 0:01:57And the special offer diet pills, where the pounds you lose
0:01:57 > 0:01:59may not be the ones you'd hoped for.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03So many other people are going to be falling for this every day.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06They feel like they are tricking people
0:02:06 > 0:02:09and being...untruthful.
0:02:11 > 0:02:12Now, these days, some of the most
0:02:12 > 0:02:15gripping shows on TV are cookery contests.
0:02:15 > 0:02:17Chefs have become heroes.
0:02:17 > 0:02:19And when we treat ourselves to a meal out, most of us
0:02:19 > 0:02:22have an image of our food being prepared from scratch,
0:02:22 > 0:02:25as they do here, by someone clad in chef's whites
0:02:25 > 0:02:28and quite possibly throwing a tantrum in the kitchen.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31But in many of the biggest names on the high street,
0:02:31 > 0:02:33it certainly isn't that simple.
0:02:34 > 0:02:38Britain's restaurants are booming, but with budgets tight,
0:02:38 > 0:02:42many of us have turned our backs on high-price, a la carte meals
0:02:42 > 0:02:45in favour of something a little more affordable.
0:02:45 > 0:02:51In 2012, the average restaurant-goer spent £17 per head on a meal out.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55And for many of us, that £17 was spent in one of these -
0:02:55 > 0:02:56a restaurant chain.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01Whether it's a birthday celebration or a romantic dinner for two,
0:03:01 > 0:03:04eating out can be a real treat.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07But when you decide to go out to eat, why are you doing it?
0:03:07 > 0:03:10Is it for the company, is it for the ambience,
0:03:10 > 0:03:12is it because you don't have to do your own washing up?
0:03:12 > 0:03:14Or is it for the food?
0:03:16 > 0:03:18It's mainly a social aspect because you're going to meet
0:03:18 > 0:03:20friends and stuff, but the food IS important.
0:03:20 > 0:03:24- Atmosphere, quality of food.- If it's just me and my wife going out,
0:03:24 > 0:03:25we're going to go out and eat
0:03:25 > 0:03:28something that we wouldn't ordinarily cook at home.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31Service, and, er, quality of the food.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34- Wherever's got a good price, and whatever's popular, I think.- Mmm?
0:03:34 > 0:03:38So, if it's not necessarily all about the food,
0:03:38 > 0:03:41how much would it matter when you're eating out if the meal HASN'T been
0:03:41 > 0:03:43made on the premises from scratch?
0:03:43 > 0:03:47You see people who are called chefs, wearing chef's whites
0:03:47 > 0:03:49and they look really professional, and there's a kitchen
0:03:49 > 0:03:52behind the scenes - we never see into what's going on there,
0:03:52 > 0:03:55but we imagine that chefs are buying in raw materials,
0:03:55 > 0:03:58preparing them, erm, you know,
0:03:58 > 0:04:02cooking them and plating them up for us.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04But that's not always the case.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07And in fact, pre-cooked or ready-prepared foods
0:04:07 > 0:04:10are staples of many restaurant pantries,
0:04:10 > 0:04:11even some exclusive ones.
0:04:11 > 0:04:17Back in 2009, the celebrity, Michelin-starred chef Gordon Ramsay
0:04:17 > 0:04:19was found to be serving pre-prepared food
0:04:19 > 0:04:21in some of his London gastro-pubs.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24The dishes started life in a centralised kitchen
0:04:24 > 0:04:27and were sent out to the restaurants partially cooked.
0:04:27 > 0:04:29He was only doing what many other restaurants do,
0:04:29 > 0:04:31but the news caused a storm,
0:04:31 > 0:04:34and Ramsay closed the centralised kitchen a year later.
0:04:36 > 0:04:38Across the Channel, a recent survey in France
0:04:38 > 0:04:41revealed that 70% of restaurants there
0:04:41 > 0:04:44use re-heated dishes on their menu.
0:04:47 > 0:04:49Hello. Table for one, please.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52So, if the notoriously foodie French are doing it,
0:04:52 > 0:04:56should we really expect restaurants here to cook everything from scratch?
0:04:56 > 0:04:58Thanks very much.
0:04:58 > 0:05:00People will criticise chain restaurants
0:05:00 > 0:05:02for not cooking from scratch,
0:05:02 > 0:05:05but I think you're naive in the extreme if you expect these places
0:05:05 > 0:05:07to do just that.
0:05:07 > 0:05:10The practice of buying in food in chain restaurants
0:05:10 > 0:05:13will be massive, absolutely massive.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16It's one of the key areas that chain restaurants can cut back on cost,
0:05:16 > 0:05:18and therefore drive their own profit.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21There will be central processing units at work
0:05:21 > 0:05:22for a lot of the large chains.
0:05:22 > 0:05:27These can make anything for you from pizza dough to pastas.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30They can ship in all sorts of desserts for you,
0:05:30 > 0:05:32all sorts of side orders, potatoes...
0:05:32 > 0:05:36Then there are the main proteins they can also sort out,
0:05:36 > 0:05:37things like chicken wings.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39All of the things that you commonly
0:05:39 > 0:05:41see on some of the major chain restaurants
0:05:41 > 0:05:46are all made at central plants, because it drives down cost.
0:05:46 > 0:05:48Consistency is the name of the game
0:05:48 > 0:05:51when it comes to Britain's largest restaurant chains.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54The secret of their success is that you know you'll get
0:05:54 > 0:05:56the same quality, and pay the same price,
0:05:56 > 0:05:58in every branch, no matter where it is.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01But how many of them will admit that they can't possibly cook
0:06:01 > 0:06:04everything from scratch on-site?
0:06:05 > 0:06:08Well, we decided to find out.
0:06:08 > 0:06:12We contacted the top 25 restaurant chains in the country.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16Between them, they operate more than 3,000 outlets,
0:06:16 > 0:06:18serving everything from pizza to pub grub
0:06:18 > 0:06:21on almost every high street across the land.
0:06:23 > 0:06:27We asked them how many dishes on their menus are pre-cooked off-site
0:06:27 > 0:06:31and are delivered to the restaurants ready to be reheated and served.
0:06:31 > 0:06:35We also wanted to know how many dishes are made up of ingredients
0:06:35 > 0:06:39that are pre-prepared off-site and put together to make the full dish.
0:06:39 > 0:06:40Now of course, these are some of the
0:06:40 > 0:06:43closest-guarded secrets of the restaurant business,
0:06:43 > 0:06:46so getting all these big names to open up to us
0:06:46 > 0:06:48was never going to be easy.
0:06:49 > 0:06:54In fact, ten chains didn't even want to answer our questions.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57None of THESE popular restaurants would reveal how much
0:06:57 > 0:07:00pre-prepared food they use.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03I think they're really more concerned
0:07:03 > 0:07:06about consumers having a greater awareness
0:07:06 > 0:07:09of the huge numbers of meals and dishes that are bought-in.
0:07:09 > 0:07:14A lot of these places kind of trade on a happy, kind of,
0:07:14 > 0:07:17home-style cooking approach, and they've got very friendly staff -
0:07:17 > 0:07:19service is all-important to them.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21To suddenly find out that this food is being brought in
0:07:21 > 0:07:24in freezer containers from a factory somewhere in Bradford
0:07:24 > 0:07:26probably isn't going to be great for their image.
0:07:26 > 0:07:31But what of the 15 restaurant chains that DID spill the beans?
0:07:32 > 0:07:34Well, their responses ranged from
0:07:34 > 0:07:36a few simples lines from Frankie & Benny's
0:07:36 > 0:07:39to Prezzo's detailed answer to everything we asked.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43Their replies may have varied, but they ALL told us they used
0:07:43 > 0:07:46pre-prepared ingredients, and in some cases,
0:07:46 > 0:07:48pre-prepared dishes.
0:07:49 > 0:07:53Cafe Rouge, Bella Italia and Strada, who are all part of the same group,
0:07:53 > 0:07:57told us that a fifth of their dishes are prepared outside the restaurant.
0:07:58 > 0:08:03Including things like risotto, lasagne and some desserts.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07Nando's chicken may be flame-grilled to order,
0:08:07 > 0:08:09but what about the extras?
0:08:09 > 0:08:13Nando's told us that their breads and creamy mashed potato
0:08:13 > 0:08:15are delivered frozen, and some dishes -
0:08:15 > 0:08:19including rice, ratatouille and Portobello mushrooms -
0:08:19 > 0:08:22are cooked off-site and delivered to the restaurants chilled.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26Nando's said that it's impossible to cook every one
0:08:26 > 0:08:29of their menu combinations in every restaurant.
0:08:30 > 0:08:32And what about the good old pizza?
0:08:32 > 0:08:35Well, the fundamental ingredient is obviously the dough,
0:08:35 > 0:08:38but how many restaurants actually make their own?
0:08:38 > 0:08:41Well, when we asked the big names,
0:08:41 > 0:08:46Pizza Express, Zizzi, Ask and Prezzo told us that their pizza dough
0:08:46 > 0:08:48arrives in each restaurant ready-made.
0:08:48 > 0:08:53Pizza Hut, Bella Italia and Strada didn't tell us about THEIR dough.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56You can buy it in from central plants.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59The cost is obviously going to be far lower than making it up fresh
0:08:59 > 0:09:01within a unit, within a branch.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05So, if you go into a chain pizza restaurant in Newcastle
0:09:05 > 0:09:07and order a certain style of pizza,
0:09:07 > 0:09:10you can be guaranteed that you'll go 400 miles south
0:09:10 > 0:09:13and eat the same pizza in a restaurant in Kent -
0:09:13 > 0:09:15it will taste exactly the same.
0:09:15 > 0:09:16And that's what the restaurants want,
0:09:16 > 0:09:19because they know that their customers like being reassured,
0:09:19 > 0:09:22they like consistency - they don't like surprises.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27So, how surprised should we be that not everything served in our
0:09:27 > 0:09:30favourite restaurants is freshly prepared on-site?
0:09:31 > 0:09:34Yes, yeah, that definitely does surprise me. I would have assumed
0:09:34 > 0:09:37that it would have been made freshly on the premises -
0:09:37 > 0:09:40because that's what you're paying for, you're paying for a chef
0:09:40 > 0:09:41to prepare you a fresh meal.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44I'd be surprised if ALL of their food was prepared on-site,
0:09:44 > 0:09:47because I don't think they get enough customers to warrant
0:09:47 > 0:09:50cooking it - it might be frozen, reheated...
0:09:50 > 0:09:51Even if I DID go to a chain, I would
0:09:51 > 0:09:54- expect the food to be freshly prepared.- I think that has to be
0:09:54 > 0:09:57the case, in a way, these days, because it would cost too much
0:09:57 > 0:10:00- probably for them to make it all fresh on the premises.- Mmm.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04Some of the chains we spoke to bucked the trend.
0:10:05 > 0:10:09For example, Wagamama told us that they only served two dishes
0:10:09 > 0:10:12where ingredients need to be cooked off-site, and that's because
0:10:12 > 0:10:14these ingredients need to be cooked slowly.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16They said everything else IS cooked
0:10:16 > 0:10:19fresh to order in their restaurant kitchens.
0:10:20 > 0:10:24Similarly, Carluccio's told us that 94% of all their food
0:10:24 > 0:10:26is prepared freshly in each restaurant,
0:10:26 > 0:10:30including their own pasta, breads and almost all their sauces.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33They said they don't use centralised kitchens,
0:10:33 > 0:10:35and they only go to a third party to
0:10:35 > 0:10:38ensure their slow-cooked dishes are consistent -
0:10:38 > 0:10:41something a few of the other chains told us, too.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44Of course, with so many restaurants not wanting to share their secrets,
0:10:44 > 0:10:48we've only got a flavour of what's going on in the big chains' kitchens,
0:10:48 > 0:10:50not the total taste.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52But there are ways to spot when
0:10:52 > 0:10:55something might not be freshly cooked to order.
0:10:55 > 0:10:59Tell-tale signs of restaurants pre-preparing, pre-cooking food -
0:10:59 > 0:11:02quite often you can just look at the sheer scale of the dishes.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04That's a giveaway. You then look at
0:11:04 > 0:11:06the number of menu items on a chain restaurant,
0:11:06 > 0:11:08and the figures are absolutely huge.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11There's just no way that that can be done from scratch.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14This might be dressed up in all sorts of flowery language -
0:11:14 > 0:11:18various descriptions that suggest food is hand-prepared,
0:11:18 > 0:11:21hand-cooked, home-style prepared...
0:11:21 > 0:11:23But it really just can't be done.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27It's unrealistic to expect chains that typically cater for
0:11:27 > 0:11:29people in a rush, or families with fussy eaters,
0:11:29 > 0:11:31to make everything on site.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34And that MAY not be what most customers want.
0:11:34 > 0:11:38The big names who told us they used ingredients or dishes cooked
0:11:38 > 0:11:41outside their restaurants said they did so to ensure
0:11:41 > 0:11:44the same quality for the same dish in every outlet.
0:11:44 > 0:11:46And it's probably that consistency,
0:11:46 > 0:11:48rather than where the food has been made,
0:11:48 > 0:11:51that keeps people coming back for more.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59Whether it's Welsh lamb, Cornish pasties or Melton Mowbray pies,
0:11:59 > 0:12:01as you know, some foods are
0:12:01 > 0:12:03synonymous with the places they come from.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06And that local provenance and seal of quality
0:12:06 > 0:12:09often means that these products come at a premium.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12But as we're about to find out, there's a fight going on
0:12:12 > 0:12:14against cheap and poor quality imitations
0:12:14 > 0:12:16masquerading as the real thing
0:12:16 > 0:12:20and threatening the reputations of entire industries.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26Fresh, local ingredients have been
0:12:26 > 0:12:28the key to this restaurant's success.
0:12:30 > 0:12:32- Morning!- Hi, how are you? - Hey, they look fantastic!
0:12:32 > 0:12:35And then we've got some good roots. There's some good beetroot there.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38- Oh, they're gorgeous.- The striped ones, and then some good purple.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41And then there's some really big swede in the back of there.
0:12:41 > 0:12:43And then a load of sprouts, some nice ones -
0:12:43 > 0:12:46they were still growing at eight o'clock this morning, so...
0:12:46 > 0:12:49- We've had some frost now, so they'll be really tasty.- They will.
0:12:49 > 0:12:53The Caffi Florence in Mold may sound Italian,
0:12:53 > 0:12:55but it is very proudly Welsh,
0:12:55 > 0:12:58and the owner, Jane Clough, takes great care to source
0:12:58 > 0:13:00as many ingredients locally as she can.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04For us, sourcing locally is at the heart of our business.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07It's kind of everything that I believe in, in terms of food,
0:13:07 > 0:13:11because it's short supply chains, so it's good for the environment,
0:13:11 > 0:13:14it's a short time period from when it's
0:13:14 > 0:13:16harvested to when we actually use it,
0:13:16 > 0:13:18and it's great for local business.
0:13:18 > 0:13:22The local meat from this area is fantastic.
0:13:22 > 0:13:27We're sort of...we're world-renowned as a lamb-producing area,
0:13:27 > 0:13:30and we also have some very good beef in this area.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32We'll often put a lamb cawl on the menus,
0:13:32 > 0:13:35and that's a really, really popular dish, because it's
0:13:35 > 0:13:39a traditional Welsh dish, really showcasing the Welsh lamb.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42But for Jane, to be able to offer her customers local produce,
0:13:42 > 0:13:45first she has to be totally confident that what she's buying
0:13:45 > 0:13:48from her suppliers IS in fact local.
0:13:50 > 0:13:54It is important that what the label says is what the product is.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58If we don't have that, then we lose all consumer confidence,
0:13:58 > 0:14:01and our customers lose confidence in us.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04Which means Jane is rigorous in ensuring
0:14:04 > 0:14:06she knows exactly where her ingredients come from.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08We walk into our butcher
0:14:08 > 0:14:12and there are all the certificates of where he has purchased
0:14:12 > 0:14:17his meat from and we trust him in the same way our customers trust us.
0:14:17 > 0:14:22Selling local produce and prime Welsh lamb sets
0:14:22 > 0:14:25businesses like Jane's apart from the competition.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28But some unscrupulous businesses are trying to flog off cheaper
0:14:28 > 0:14:31produce and saying it's local when it's definitely not.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34The examples are pretty shocking, and not just in Wales.
0:14:34 > 0:14:38One farm shop was caught offering eggs
0:14:38 > 0:14:41"fresh from our own Wiltshire farm" which were
0:14:41 > 0:14:44actually from Northamptonshire, on the other side of the country.
0:14:44 > 0:14:46And a restaurant was selling "Hampshire spring lamb"
0:14:46 > 0:14:50which was actually from New Zealand, over 10,000 miles away.
0:14:50 > 0:14:54It is very difficult when you have hospitality businesses
0:14:54 > 0:14:59who are labelling, identifying their products as being local or Welsh when in fact they're not.
0:14:59 > 0:15:03That makes it very difficult for the rest of us
0:15:03 > 0:15:07who are sourcing locally because it takes
0:15:07 > 0:15:12so much more effort to engender the trust from our customers.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17However, there are people on hand to enforce the rules.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21And throughout Britain, Trading Standards do their best to try
0:15:21 > 0:15:24and ensure that what customers are being promised is what
0:15:24 > 0:15:25customers are being delivered.
0:15:25 > 0:15:29And across Wales there is a big focus at the moment
0:15:29 > 0:15:35on ensuring that meat labelled "Made in Wales" really is exactly that.
0:15:37 > 0:15:41On the ground in Wrexham, the job falls to officers like Kevin
0:15:41 > 0:15:42and Kay.
0:15:42 > 0:15:46Hi, Kay, is this going out on the survey for Welsh beef and lamb?
0:15:46 > 0:15:50Yeah, I've been on the Internet and had a look at some local places.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57The consequences for those businesses that
0:15:57 > 0:16:00label their food as something it's not can be very serious.
0:16:00 > 0:16:01Ultimately,
0:16:01 > 0:16:04if we find the companies are deliberately misleading the public
0:16:04 > 0:16:07by applying these descriptions and there are food fraud issues
0:16:07 > 0:16:10associated with this, these particular individual companies
0:16:10 > 0:16:13could be prosecuted by their local Trading Standards services.
0:16:15 > 0:16:19Kay is off to check out a local restaurant to make sure that
0:16:19 > 0:16:23its tantalising-sounding menu of Welsh produces lives up to its name.
0:16:23 > 0:16:27Hi, I'm from Trading Standards. Could I speak to the manager or
0:16:27 > 0:16:29the owner, please?
0:16:29 > 0:16:31- Of course, yeah, can I take your name?- Kay Ledward.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35You claim that you're making Welsh lamb and mint pakoras.
0:16:35 > 0:16:37Yep.
0:16:37 > 0:16:39Roast rib of mature Welsh beef.
0:16:39 > 0:16:40Yes.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43Roast leg of Welsh lamb, Perl Las cheese.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46Yep, and we've got...
0:16:46 > 0:16:53Ceiriog Valley trout... Well, where do you get your lamb and beef from?
0:16:53 > 0:16:59Yeah, we're supplied by a supplier at Upper Mills Farm in Ceiriog.
0:16:59 > 0:17:00Right.
0:17:03 > 0:17:10And then the way we look for proof is the invoice.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12Right.
0:17:12 > 0:17:14Kay wants to see that proof
0:17:14 > 0:17:18so she can be sure of where the restaurant's meat has come from.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21And it is a painstaking task. Kay questions
0:17:21 > 0:17:24The Hand's Gaynor DeLuchi about every one of the ingredients
0:17:24 > 0:17:27the pub uses and makes a special claim for.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30We're making sure the customer gets what they want but it's
0:17:30 > 0:17:33also making sure that you're getting what you want as well.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36Trading Standards have to be particularly rigorous because
0:17:36 > 0:17:40unscrupulous operators will go to extreme lengths to try and pull
0:17:40 > 0:17:43the wool over the eyes of not just customers, but the inspectors as well.
0:17:43 > 0:17:48One butcher in South Wales ended up with a £20,000 fine after
0:17:48 > 0:17:52selling what he had been claiming was local meat to top
0:17:52 > 0:17:54restaurants on the Gower Peninsula.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58But in fact the court was told that the butcher not only made up the
0:17:58 > 0:18:01descriptions of the meat - but even the farms he pretended supplied it.
0:18:04 > 0:18:08Welsh beef and lamb rank alongside such delicacies as Champagne
0:18:08 > 0:18:10and Parma ham.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13They all have properly regulated special status thanks to the
0:18:13 > 0:18:17PGI, or "protected geographical indication" mark.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20But it does mean the rules are very strict,
0:18:20 > 0:18:23including dictating where the animal is slaughtered.
0:18:23 > 0:18:28How PGI status for Welsh lamb and beef works is it has to be born
0:18:28 > 0:18:31and reared in Wales, for obvious reasons.
0:18:31 > 0:18:36It has to be slaughtered in an approved Hybu Cig Cymru
0:18:36 > 0:18:38slaughterhouse.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41It seems a bit silly in a way that you could have a farmer down the road
0:18:41 > 0:18:45that has had his own cattle or his own lambs, he's born them and reared
0:18:45 > 0:18:49them here, he's had them slaughtered in Wales but it might not be
0:18:49 > 0:18:52an approved slaughterhouse but he's not allowed to call it Welsh.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54I think the reason being is the traceability.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57That's what you are after, so, what number are we?
0:18:57 > 0:19:03- 7217.- 7217, Castell Howell. So they are a stand-alone cutting plant in Wales.
0:19:03 > 0:19:07There you go so you are legitimately...that is Welsh.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10- It's born, reared, slaughtered in Wales.- Cut.
0:19:10 > 0:19:12Cut. It's Welsh.
0:19:12 > 0:19:16So on this occasion Kay is reassured - there is a clear trail
0:19:16 > 0:19:19from the farm where the livestock was reared to the chef's fridge,
0:19:19 > 0:19:23a glowing report for all that local produce at The Hand.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29Back at Caffi Florence...
0:19:29 > 0:19:31I mean, we say groups of ten or more...
0:19:31 > 0:19:35..Jane, too, is determined to stick with local produce from suppliers she can trust.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39And for her, what began as an ethical decision has now paid
0:19:39 > 0:19:40dividends.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43We know we have more than trebled the turnover
0:19:43 > 0:19:47of our business compared to the person who was here before us.
0:19:47 > 0:19:52So I think if food, food businesses are really
0:19:52 > 0:19:56serious about the quality of what they are doing, and they really want
0:19:56 > 0:20:00to provide a good long-term service, then local is the way to go.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07Still to come on Rip Off Britain:
0:20:07 > 0:20:10They're a staple in millions of shopping baskets.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13But are the wholemeal loaves that we buy in supermarkets
0:20:13 > 0:20:15all you might expect?
0:20:15 > 0:20:19We believe that if you go and find a loaf in the supermarket that says wholemeal,
0:20:19 > 0:20:21that should be wholemeal.
0:20:21 > 0:20:23We just say that people are being misled.
0:20:23 > 0:20:27Now, whatever anyone else may try and tell you, it's only a good
0:20:27 > 0:20:30diet and regular exercise that will keep your weight in check.
0:20:30 > 0:20:34And while consuming fewer calories can of course help you to shed a few
0:20:34 > 0:20:38pounds, there is no other quick fix or miracle cure that can do
0:20:38 > 0:20:40the job for you.
0:20:40 > 0:20:42That hasn't stopped all sorts of companies
0:20:42 > 0:20:45peddling supplements and diet pills,
0:20:45 > 0:20:48for which there's rarely even a shred of proper scientific evidence.
0:20:48 > 0:20:53They'll often offer an irresistible, or even supposedly "free" deal,
0:20:53 > 0:20:55but beware - like our next viewer,
0:20:55 > 0:20:57the only thing you're likely to end up losing isn't weight
0:20:57 > 0:20:59but your cash.
0:21:03 > 0:21:08A keen runner and all-round fitness enthusiast, Jenny Brady is
0:21:08 > 0:21:12already in good shape...and she's determined to keep it that way.
0:21:12 > 0:21:17To keep fit I make sure that I go jogging quite regularly.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20With me and my boyfriend doing the marathon last year,
0:21:20 > 0:21:23I think that was really a starting point to making sure that
0:21:23 > 0:21:27I keep up my fitness and make sure that I'm healthy all the time.
0:21:27 > 0:21:31And though she has a sensible attitude towards her health, Jenny
0:21:31 > 0:21:36is not immune to the pressures felt by many young women to stay slim.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39With all the magazines, and the websites that are around at
0:21:39 > 0:21:44the moment, there's quite a lot of pressure for girls to look a certain
0:21:44 > 0:21:51way and to be healthy, to be fit but also to, you know, be slim.
0:21:51 > 0:21:55Jenny knows, of course, there's no miracle pill to make you thin,
0:21:55 > 0:21:58but she was open to the idea of a little extra help to lose weight.
0:21:58 > 0:22:02There's always new developments coming out in the nutritional
0:22:02 > 0:22:05world which I'm always willing to try, you know, I try
0:22:05 > 0:22:10and take tablets for my joints, I try and take hair and nail tablets.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14When Jenny saw two types of diet pills advertised online,
0:22:14 > 0:22:18she thought it would do her no harm at all to have a look.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21One was called Beyond Raspberry Ketone
0:22:21 > 0:22:24and the other Nutra Green Coffee Cleanse.
0:22:24 > 0:22:28I'd seen them in a magazine article the week before. Beyonce
0:22:28 > 0:22:30and other pop stars had been taking them.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32I'd also seen it on Facebook.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35It was the new supplement that everybody wanted to try.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39So Jenny went ahead and clicked the link which took her
0:22:39 > 0:22:42to beyondraspberryketone.co.uk.
0:22:42 > 0:22:46The website claimed that taken together, these two types
0:22:46 > 0:22:50of diet pill would make you "lose twice as much fat...twice as fast."
0:22:51 > 0:22:56And, even better, they were offering a 14-day trial.
0:22:56 > 0:23:00When I clicked into the website, it looked like a brilliant deal.
0:23:00 > 0:23:02And all you had to pay was the delivery cost,
0:23:02 > 0:23:04which seemed reasonable.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07The web page went on to say, "If you are unhappy with the product,
0:23:07 > 0:23:10"simply call us to cancel your membership and arrange
0:23:10 > 0:23:14"return of the unused portion." So, reassured by that, Jenny went
0:23:14 > 0:23:18ahead and placed the order... but, because the products are sold
0:23:18 > 0:23:23by separate companies, she had to make two transactions, and decided
0:23:23 > 0:23:26to pay for one with her credit card and the second with her debit card.
0:23:26 > 0:23:30In total she paid £11.95 for two bottles of Raspberry Ketone
0:23:30 > 0:23:33and one of Nutra Green Coffee Cleanse.
0:23:33 > 0:23:38I took them straightaway, kept them in my handbag, took them
0:23:38 > 0:23:42religiously for, I think it was about two or three weeks.
0:23:42 > 0:23:46The first week I did notice a difference but by the second
0:23:46 > 0:23:50and third, I wasn't really seeing any type of results.
0:23:50 > 0:23:54Jenny stopped taking the pills, chalked it all down to experience
0:23:54 > 0:23:56and forgot all about it.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59After all, she'd only shelled out not much more than a tenner.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02Or so she thought.
0:24:02 > 0:24:06But a fortnight later she received her next bank statements,
0:24:06 > 0:24:08and with them, a nasty shock.
0:24:08 > 0:24:12Her credit card and her debit card had both been charged almost
0:24:12 > 0:24:14£85 each.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17When I had seen the money go out of my account
0:24:17 > 0:24:19I was a little bit hysterical,
0:24:19 > 0:24:25mortified that such a lot of money had come out for nothing, really,
0:24:25 > 0:24:30and for a silly little trial from a company I didn't even really know.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33She quickly cancelled both her cards
0:24:33 > 0:24:36and phoned her bank's fraud protection unit.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39She discovered that, without realising it,
0:24:39 > 0:24:40when she'd taken out the offer,
0:24:40 > 0:24:45she had signed up to what's called a "continuous payment authority".
0:24:45 > 0:24:48That means you've given permission for a company to repeatedly
0:24:48 > 0:24:51take money from your account without them needing to keep asking.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54And although Jenny says she hadn't been aware of that,
0:24:54 > 0:24:58she HAD ticked the box to accept the terms and conditions
0:24:58 > 0:25:02and was therefore signed up to TWO continuous payment authorities -
0:25:02 > 0:25:07one for the Raspberry Ketone, and one for the Nutra Green Coffee Cleanse.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10So the terms and conditions are there - they do ask you to tick
0:25:10 > 0:25:11if you agree to them,
0:25:11 > 0:25:16but I can't name anybody who trawls through the terms and conditions.
0:25:16 > 0:25:21I'm not that type of person and naively I trust what I'm buying.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23Jenny wasn't aware that
0:25:23 > 0:25:26if she didn't want to carry on receiving, and paying, for the
0:25:26 > 0:25:31pills, she had to cancel and return her trial packs within 14 days.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34She was able to cancel the payments for the Raspberry Ketone,
0:25:34 > 0:25:37but when Jenny called to cancel the Nutra Green Coffee Cleanse,
0:25:37 > 0:25:43a recorded message informed her that she would be charged a further £38.
0:25:44 > 0:25:48I was fuming about the cancellation fee to the point where
0:25:48 > 0:25:56I was shaking with...when I get angry I cry so, I mean, I'd got upset again.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58Jenny called the company back
0:25:58 > 0:26:01and this time managed to speak to a human being.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04But they were not prepared to waive that fee.
0:26:04 > 0:26:08They said they couldn't refund that, that was my mistake,
0:26:08 > 0:26:12and that's just what I had to deal with.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15Jenny wasn't going to leave things there
0:26:15 > 0:26:18she called the company back AGAIN, and was determined not to
0:26:18 > 0:26:23take no for an answer. This time she thought she was getting
0:26:23 > 0:26:26somewhere - she was given a reference number to track her pills
0:26:26 > 0:26:28when she returned them -
0:26:28 > 0:26:30which she assumed meant she would be getting a refund.
0:26:30 > 0:26:34So you're asked to post them immediately
0:26:34 > 0:26:37and they need to receive them within seven days.
0:26:37 > 0:26:42I posted them back straightaway, that same day.
0:26:42 > 0:26:46I posted them recorded delivery so I knew when they'd get there.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49I was quite confident that I was going to get my money back,
0:26:49 > 0:26:52You know, I was actually quite relieved.
0:26:52 > 0:26:54I was like, "Oh, I'm going to get my £160 back."
0:26:54 > 0:26:57Add on the cancellation fee,
0:26:57 > 0:27:00and Jenny was more than £200 out of pocket.
0:27:00 > 0:27:04But almost two weeks passed and there was no sign of any refund.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07I rang them and said, "The Post Office have
0:27:07 > 0:27:10"confirmed that these have been delivered to the address that
0:27:10 > 0:27:13"you said, and the money still hasn't gone back in my account," to which
0:27:13 > 0:27:19the customer service representative said it's out of their control,
0:27:19 > 0:27:24the warehouse have to process it but it could take up to ten working days.
0:27:24 > 0:27:28But the next time she followed it up she got a different story.
0:27:28 > 0:27:33I rang them up to see where my returns was at, to which they
0:27:33 > 0:27:37answered, "We don't know who you spoke to, the girl you say,
0:27:37 > 0:27:43"she doesn't work here so we can't do anything about it."
0:27:43 > 0:27:46And that they couldn't give me a refund.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48I think they're being very clever.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51I feel like they're actually tricking you.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54So is that the case?
0:27:54 > 0:27:57We tried to contact both companies Jenny had ordered
0:27:57 > 0:27:59the pills from to see what
0:27:59 > 0:28:02they had to say about the clarity of their terms and conditions.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05So far, despite many, many e-mails and letters,
0:28:05 > 0:28:08we have heard nothing back from them.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11But we're not the only people asking questions.
0:28:11 > 0:28:15The company behind the Raspberry Ketone pills, called Beyond Nutra Ltd,
0:28:15 > 0:28:19was investigated last year by the Advertising Standards Authority.
0:28:19 > 0:28:23They ruled that the website did not make its terms
0:28:23 > 0:28:27and conditions sufficiently clear, and, as a result, was misleading.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30The company's ads at the time were banned,
0:28:30 > 0:28:33and they've now made the wording on their website clearer.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36But watch out - there are plenty of other companies
0:28:36 > 0:28:41and websites offering similar trials that could end up costing you
0:28:41 > 0:28:44a lot more than you'd bargained for.
0:28:44 > 0:28:49It makes me feel really angry and upset that I know that
0:28:49 > 0:28:53so many other people are going to be falling for this every day.
0:28:53 > 0:29:00It makes my blood boil because I feel like they are tricking
0:29:00 > 0:29:06people and being untruthful with the way that they're advertising
0:29:06 > 0:29:10what they're saying you're signing up for.
0:29:14 > 0:29:17When you go to a restaurant, you may think that the waiter is
0:29:17 > 0:29:20just there to get your order and take it to the kitchen,
0:29:20 > 0:29:22but that's really not the case.
0:29:22 > 0:29:25Restaurant critic and food writer Andy Hayler is here to reveal
0:29:25 > 0:29:28some of the wily ways waiting staff will try
0:29:28 > 0:29:31and get you to eat lots, but spend lots, too.
0:29:31 > 0:29:35And perhaps earn themselves a better tip into the bargain.
0:29:35 > 0:29:39So when you're looking at the menu, the waiter's work's already begun.
0:29:39 > 0:29:42They'll want to quickly offer you some drinks
0:29:42 > 0:29:46because typically the drinks in the restaurant are very, very profitable.
0:29:46 > 0:29:49A good waiter won't interrupt when they're actually approaching.
0:29:49 > 0:29:53If they're very good they may have taken the trouble to memorise your name.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56And they may even touch your arm lightly, a friendly gesture.
0:29:56 > 0:29:59These techniques can actually raise the tip
0:29:59 > 0:30:02level for a waiter between 10% & 36%.
0:30:03 > 0:30:07And when the waiter or waitress starts recommending dishes,
0:30:07 > 0:30:10they may not have YOUR best interests at heart.
0:30:10 > 0:30:14Now, a waiter may recommend a dish and say such-and-such
0:30:14 > 0:30:17is particularly good tonight.
0:30:17 > 0:30:20It may be that they genuinely believe that to be true
0:30:20 > 0:30:24but it's just as likely that in fact that's the dish that didn't
0:30:24 > 0:30:26sell at lunch very well and they've been prompted
0:30:26 > 0:30:29by the management to push that particular dish.
0:30:29 > 0:30:33Also, a good waiter will know the menu very, very well
0:30:33 > 0:30:34and will perhaps engage
0:30:34 > 0:30:38with you about something about one of the dishes and then, at the same
0:30:38 > 0:30:41point, will say, "Oh, maybe you'd like some extra side dish with that."
0:30:41 > 0:30:44Maybe some extra chips or something.
0:30:44 > 0:30:47Because again the side dishes tend to be highly profitable.
0:30:47 > 0:30:49"Still or sparkling, madam?"
0:30:49 > 0:30:51When you're looking at the menu,
0:30:51 > 0:30:54they may come to you and say, "Would you like some water - still or sparkling?"
0:30:54 > 0:30:58You notice the waiter didn't say, "Still, sparkling or tap?"
0:30:58 > 0:31:03Yet by law in the UK they have to provide free tap water.
0:31:03 > 0:31:06But if the waiter's done a good job, how can you be sure
0:31:06 > 0:31:08they get to keep your tip?
0:31:08 > 0:31:12Tipping has changed over the years in the UK, but you're not obliged
0:31:12 > 0:31:16to pay the full service charge if you're not happy with the service.
0:31:16 > 0:31:21In 2009 the law changed, so at least in theory the tips should now be
0:31:21 > 0:31:25reaching the waiter or waitress, but there's still a complication
0:31:25 > 0:31:29with credit card tips, because the restaurateur is actually
0:31:29 > 0:31:31allowed to deduct something for administration
0:31:31 > 0:31:35but of course you're never actually sure how much of that is real.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38So if you're in any doubt, then it's probably better to
0:31:38 > 0:31:42leave your tip in cash because that way you can be pretty sure
0:31:42 > 0:31:45that the waiter or waitress will actually see the tip.
0:31:49 > 0:31:52Now, whether you're doing a weekly shop at the supermarket or
0:31:52 > 0:31:56topping up at the corner shop, one item that most of us are almost
0:31:56 > 0:31:59certain to pop into our shopping basket is this - a loaf of bread.
0:31:59 > 0:32:03Over recent years, more and more of us have been
0:32:03 > 0:32:07listening to the health messages and swapping white sliced for
0:32:07 > 0:32:12something that we hope is going to do us a bit more good - wholemeal.
0:32:12 > 0:32:15But when you start to dig down into exactly what is and isn't in the
0:32:15 > 0:32:20wholemeal loaves we buy in their millions every day, you might be surprised
0:32:20 > 0:32:25to discover that most of them are not necessarily quite what you think.
0:32:25 > 0:32:29Unless you're shopping in a specialist shop like this one,
0:32:29 > 0:32:32because even the ones with "nowt taken out"
0:32:32 > 0:32:34may well have put some other things in.
0:32:34 > 0:32:37New Hovis British Farmers Loaf...
0:32:37 > 0:32:40Baked with Britain's best wheat.
0:32:40 > 0:32:43For years, the message from the TV ads has been clear...
0:32:43 > 0:32:45- I'm tasty wholemeal.- The delicious
0:32:45 > 0:32:48taste of Allinson wholemeal bread.
0:32:49 > 0:32:52Wholemeal bread is better for us than the soggy white loaf
0:32:52 > 0:32:57that has dominated British kitchens since the Second World War.
0:32:57 > 0:33:00But just what should be in a wholemeal loaf?
0:33:00 > 0:33:03There are those who say to be called wholemeal,
0:33:03 > 0:33:07it should be just that, strictly made with wholemeal flour.
0:33:07 > 0:33:10That is, after all, the traditional way to do it -
0:33:10 > 0:33:14as still practised by bakers like Tom Molnar from Gail's Bakery
0:33:14 > 0:33:19in North London - one of the new breed of so-called "artisan" bakers.
0:33:19 > 0:33:22I think you have to have a real passion for the product,
0:33:22 > 0:33:24because a really great bread takes time to do
0:33:24 > 0:33:26and you have to care about how it comes out.
0:33:26 > 0:33:28Here is where we do the mixing.
0:33:28 > 0:33:30This is a white bread that you're making
0:33:30 > 0:33:33but wholemeal bread - what actually goes into it?
0:33:33 > 0:33:36Well, you put salt, water and wholemeal flour.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39Just those three things? Nothing else?
0:33:39 > 0:33:40That's what you put in.
0:33:40 > 0:33:43The whole principle of a good top artisan baker is do
0:33:43 > 0:33:46it yourself and do it with great ingredients.
0:33:46 > 0:33:48Inside there is yeast - it's a living thing. When you slap it
0:33:48 > 0:33:52down, you're creating some activity. Want to try one yourself now?
0:33:52 > 0:33:55It's much more difficult than it looks.
0:33:55 > 0:33:58- You open it.- Open it a bit, yes.
0:33:58 > 0:34:01You just do the first shape like this, no,
0:34:01 > 0:34:03just move it around here so we have the first shape.
0:34:03 > 0:34:06Yes, right, so done that, now what?
0:34:06 > 0:34:08The third one is the final, you seal it off...
0:34:10 > 0:34:13Easier said than done.
0:34:13 > 0:34:15It's all yours!
0:34:15 > 0:34:17SHE LAUGHS
0:34:17 > 0:34:20I think I'll stick to the day job.
0:34:20 > 0:34:26Any wholemeal loaf that's made with the amount of TLC
0:34:26 > 0:34:28that went into this one ain't going to come cheap,
0:34:28 > 0:34:31but that's fair enough
0:34:31 > 0:34:34because most of us will buy our bread off a supermarket shelf,
0:34:34 > 0:34:37pre-packed and pre-sliced, and if you're going to
0:34:37 > 0:34:41go for the healthy option then you may decide to buy a wholemeal loaf.
0:34:41 > 0:34:44The trouble is you may not be quite getting exactly what you expect.
0:34:44 > 0:34:47You certainly won't be getting a wholemeal loaf that's made to the
0:34:47 > 0:34:51standards that these are in this bakery because if you were to take a
0:34:51 > 0:34:54magnifying glass and take a look at the list of ingredients on the back
0:34:54 > 0:34:59of the supermarket packaging, you could be in for a bit of a surprise.
0:35:02 > 0:35:05Most loaves sold in the supermarkets aren't quite the pure
0:35:05 > 0:35:08wholemeal you may think you're buying.
0:35:08 > 0:35:13Chris Young runs a campaign to get us all eating better bread.
0:35:13 > 0:35:16And he isn't happy that most of the wholemeal bread we are sold
0:35:16 > 0:35:21is made with rather more ingredients than the ones I saw at the bakery.
0:35:21 > 0:35:22We believe that if you go
0:35:22 > 0:35:25and find a loaf in a supermarket that says it's wholemeal,
0:35:25 > 0:35:28that should be wholemeal, it should be flour, water, yeast and salt.
0:35:28 > 0:35:32We just say that people are being misled - you've got a big
0:35:32 > 0:35:35headline on the front saying "wholemeal" and people who want
0:35:35 > 0:35:38wholesome food are then getting all these other things. Soya flour,
0:35:38 > 0:35:41powered wheat, gluten and all sorts of artificial additives.
0:35:43 > 0:35:47So how is it possible that you might buy a loaf of wholemeal bread,
0:35:47 > 0:35:51expecting it to contain nothing but wholemeal flour, water,
0:35:51 > 0:35:55yeast and salt, only to find it contains lots of other things too?
0:35:55 > 0:35:59Well, it all comes down to this stuff - flour.
0:35:59 > 0:36:01And, believe it or not,
0:36:01 > 0:36:05flour has its own set of rules which basically say that if you want
0:36:05 > 0:36:10to call a loaf a wholemeal loaf, it has to contain wholemeal flour.
0:36:10 > 0:36:13But the rules don't stop manufacturers adding other
0:36:13 > 0:36:14things to the flour as well.
0:36:14 > 0:36:17And that's what frustrates the real bread campaign.
0:36:17 > 0:36:20They reckon we should be getting traditional wholemeal made
0:36:20 > 0:36:22the old-fashioned way.
0:36:22 > 0:36:25I mean, we are not criticising anyone of breaking the law,
0:36:25 > 0:36:28but people might be just about following the letter
0:36:28 > 0:36:31of the law but I'm not sure they are following the spirit.
0:36:31 > 0:36:34But the people who enforce the law say no, that's all fine,
0:36:34 > 0:36:37because soya flour isn't flour. Gluten powder isn't
0:36:37 > 0:36:40flour, it's an additive so that doesn't count either,
0:36:40 > 0:36:42and we just think that people deserve better than that,
0:36:42 > 0:36:44we think that
0:36:44 > 0:36:47shoppers of Britain have a right to know exactly what they are eating.
0:36:47 > 0:36:49So is he right?
0:36:49 > 0:36:51What do British shoppers think about the added
0:36:51 > 0:36:54extras in their wholemeal loaf?
0:36:54 > 0:36:56- Do you ever buy wholemeal loaves? - Yes.
0:36:56 > 0:36:58You do? Why do you buy them?
0:36:58 > 0:37:01Well, it's meant to be better for you, isn't it?
0:37:01 > 0:37:02- So, healthier?- Yeah.
0:37:02 > 0:37:05So if you buy a wholemeal loaf, would you expect the flour to be
0:37:05 > 0:37:07- wholemeal flour?- Yes.
0:37:07 > 0:37:09So would it surprise you if I told you that, with
0:37:09 > 0:37:12the exception of a few brands, most wholemeal loaves have
0:37:12 > 0:37:17lots of other things in them as well besides wholemeal, like soya flour?
0:37:17 > 0:37:18Does that surprise you?
0:37:18 > 0:37:21- It does surprise us, actually. - I didn't know that.
0:37:21 > 0:37:23- Do you ever buy wholemeal bread? - Yes.
0:37:23 > 0:37:24Why do you buy it?
0:37:24 > 0:37:28- Because it's healthier.- What if I told you that a lot of wholemeal loaves only have a percentage
0:37:28 > 0:37:30- of wholemeal flour... - That would surprise me.
0:37:30 > 0:37:33- They have other stuff in them like soya flour?- Oh, really?
0:37:33 > 0:37:36- Does that bother you?- Yes. - Do you mind that?- Yes.- Why?
0:37:36 > 0:37:39Because I don't like eating things where I don't know the ingredients.
0:37:39 > 0:37:42Would it surprise you if I told you an awful lot of wholemeals
0:37:42 > 0:37:45have actually soya flour in, and other kinds of stuff in them?
0:37:45 > 0:37:49Yes. Does that still make it wholemeal for you?
0:37:49 > 0:37:54No. It might still make it a healthy product, but it's a misnamed product.
0:37:54 > 0:37:59None of the manufacturers are hiding what's in their wholemeal loaves.
0:37:59 > 0:38:00It's all there on the labels.
0:38:00 > 0:38:03But just how many of the wholemeal breads
0:38:03 > 0:38:07we probably buy the most of, the pre-packed ones from the
0:38:07 > 0:38:11supermarkets, are made using that simple, traditional, recipe?
0:38:11 > 0:38:15We sent our researchers out on a shopping trip, wholemeal-style.
0:38:15 > 0:38:18We called at each of the big four supermarkets, along with
0:38:18 > 0:38:20M&S, Waitrose,
0:38:20 > 0:38:23and the Co-op, a store initially founded to sell pure flour.
0:38:23 > 0:38:27Some sold up to seven types of wholemeal loaf.
0:38:27 > 0:38:30But not one store stuck solely to the centuries-old
0:38:30 > 0:38:34formula of just wholemeal flour, water, yeast and salt.
0:38:34 > 0:38:37They all had at least one added extra, such as soya flour,
0:38:37 > 0:38:40gluten, or wheat protein.
0:38:40 > 0:38:43And the stores all gave good reasons for that, telling us it's because
0:38:43 > 0:38:45customers expect fresh bread to be...
0:38:48 > 0:38:51So they use a very ...
0:38:53 > 0:38:55to give...
0:38:56 > 0:39:00Several also said that the added ingredients make the bread
0:39:00 > 0:39:04faster and easier to bake, and help to...
0:39:04 > 0:39:07And M&S claimed that that the better textures obtained by adding
0:39:07 > 0:39:10soya flour help with...
0:39:10 > 0:39:13As well as the supermarkets' own loaves,
0:39:13 > 0:39:17we looked at the big brands' pre-sliced wholemeal bread as well.
0:39:17 > 0:39:21And again, not one was made with that time-honoured recipe.
0:39:21 > 0:39:24On their behalf, The Federation of Bakers told us that any
0:39:24 > 0:39:27wholemeal bread from their members...
0:39:29 > 0:39:31And those extras simply...
0:39:35 > 0:39:38Warburton's added that when they do use soya flour it makes up...
0:39:41 > 0:39:43..of the ingredients.
0:39:44 > 0:39:49So have the sticklers for traditionalism got it wrong?
0:39:49 > 0:39:52It's hard to argue against bread that lasts longer at a time
0:39:52 > 0:39:54when so much food is wasted.
0:39:54 > 0:39:57But back at the bakery, Tom, for one, is determined to keep
0:39:57 > 0:40:00the old-fashioned ways of doing things alive.
0:40:00 > 0:40:03Everybody in this building is doing something that people before them have
0:40:03 > 0:40:06been doing for hundreds of years.
0:40:06 > 0:40:07In exactly the same way.
0:40:07 > 0:40:09Yes, it's quite amazing.
0:40:09 > 0:40:11We've basically lost the bread-making craftsmanship
0:40:11 > 0:40:13and now we're rebuilding it.
0:40:13 > 0:40:16We're doing all that again. We're re-establishing this craft which hasn't died.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19It's still alive and in this bakery.
0:40:23 > 0:40:27Here at Rip Off Britain we're always ready to investigate
0:40:27 > 0:40:31more of your stories - on any subject.
0:40:31 > 0:40:34Confused over your bills or just trying to wade through
0:40:34 > 0:40:36never-ending small print?
0:40:36 > 0:40:41Why is it in small print if they want you to read it?
0:40:41 > 0:40:43Maybe you're unsure what to do when you discover
0:40:43 > 0:40:46you've lost out and that so-called "great deal"
0:40:46 > 0:40:48has ended up costing you money.
0:40:48 > 0:40:52All my money is very hard-earned, so when I go to spend it,
0:40:52 > 0:40:53I expect value for money.
0:40:53 > 0:40:57Or you might have a cautionary tale of your own,
0:40:57 > 0:41:00and want to share the mistakes you made with us.
0:41:00 > 0:41:01You can write to us at...
0:41:09 > 0:41:10Or send us an e-mail to...
0:41:16 > 0:41:19The Rip Off team is ready and waiting to investigate your stories.
0:41:22 > 0:41:25I'm afraid that's just about all we have time for today.
0:41:25 > 0:41:28Don't forget you can find out plenty more tips and advice
0:41:28 > 0:41:29on our website - it really is
0:41:29 > 0:41:32chock-full of useful information.
0:41:32 > 0:41:33And you'll find it at...
0:41:37 > 0:41:38And another little tip -
0:41:38 > 0:41:41remember food is just like any of the other topics
0:41:41 > 0:41:43we investigate on the programme.
0:41:43 > 0:41:46You want to know as much as you can about what you're
0:41:46 > 0:41:47getting for your money,
0:41:47 > 0:41:49without any unexpected surprises later on.
0:41:49 > 0:41:53So if you come across situations where there are things you
0:41:53 > 0:41:57wish you'd known before you handed over your cash, then let us know.
0:41:57 > 0:42:02There is every chance we can look at it for a future programme.
0:42:02 > 0:42:05But that's it for today. Thank you very much indeed for being with us.
0:42:05 > 0:42:08I hope you'll join us again very soon. But until then,
0:42:08 > 0:42:11- from all of us on the team... - And careful shopping.
0:42:11 > 0:42:13BOTH: Bye-bye.