0:00:02 > 0:00:03Food - it's big business.
0:00:03 > 0:00:06Now, each year, we spend something like £5,000
0:00:06 > 0:00:08per household on food and drink.
0:00:08 > 0:00:12So, the competition for your pound is tough.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15We'll leave no shelf untouched in our quest to champion YOU,
0:00:15 > 0:00:17the weekly shopper.
0:00:17 > 0:00:21This is the series in which we'll be exposing the hidden rip-offs
0:00:21 > 0:00:24and letting you in on the tricks of the food trade.
0:00:24 > 0:00:28And, most importantly, we'll show you how to be a smart shopper.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31Welcome to Rip Off Food.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47Today we're decoding some of the mysteries of food labelling.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50That is really... How can they do that?
0:00:50 > 0:00:53We'll show you the tricks that supermarkets use
0:00:53 > 0:00:56to get their products into your basket.
0:00:56 > 0:01:00And some soups that may not contain quite what you'd expect.
0:01:00 > 0:01:02It's a big con, really, isn't it?
0:01:02 > 0:01:04It's just a total big con.
0:01:04 > 0:01:08And we find out why a prize-winning pasty maker is unhappy with
0:01:08 > 0:01:12the logo designed to protect heritage foods.
0:01:12 > 0:01:16You know, these days clued-up shoppers have to be label literate.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19Because it's an elementary fact that manufacturers
0:01:19 > 0:01:23use very clever packaging to pull us in to start spending money.
0:01:23 > 0:01:25And I hope to show you today how that
0:01:25 > 0:01:28plays around with your senses and confuses the mind.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30You never know, after this,
0:01:30 > 0:01:33you might never look at a supermarket shelf
0:01:33 > 0:01:34in the same way ever again...
0:01:34 > 0:01:37The government regularly encourages us to stay well,
0:01:37 > 0:01:41with campaigns promoting the benefits of healthy living.
0:01:41 > 0:01:43One of the best known, and perhaps most successful,
0:01:43 > 0:01:45is the message that we should eat
0:01:45 > 0:01:49five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52The 5 A Day campaign has been around for almost a decade.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55It's a phrase that been drilled into the nation's psyche.
0:01:56 > 0:02:00You know, there are so many ways we can be manipulated by marketing.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03And in these health-conscious times a food that claims to be
0:02:03 > 0:02:06one of our five a day is obviously very attractive.
0:02:06 > 0:02:07But are we kidding ourselves
0:02:07 > 0:02:09when we pick up a tasty-looking meal,
0:02:09 > 0:02:11believing that the 5 A Day label
0:02:11 > 0:02:14allows us to stay healthy while we eat it?
0:02:16 > 0:02:19There's an official 5 A Day logo that can only be
0:02:19 > 0:02:21awarded by the Department Of Health.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24To qualify, a food product should contain at least one
0:02:24 > 0:02:29portion of fruit or veg and have no added salt, sugar or fat.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32Nearly 250 licence holders are signed up
0:02:32 > 0:02:35but you could argue, it's not instantly recognisable.
0:02:36 > 0:02:395 A Day, did you say?
0:02:39 > 0:02:42I don't recognise the logo but I recognise, of course,
0:02:42 > 0:02:44the phrase "five a day".
0:02:44 > 0:02:46It looks like, perhaps, a new logo.
0:02:46 > 0:02:50I think I've seen the expression rather than the logo, actually.
0:02:50 > 0:02:54The 5 A Day campaign is based on the idea that 400 grams
0:02:54 > 0:02:58of fruit and veg a day can protect against conditions like cancers,
0:02:58 > 0:03:00heart disease, strokes and others.
0:03:02 > 0:03:07So, the maths is - five portions of 80 grams each, a day, minimum.
0:03:08 > 0:03:12Dietician Emer Delany thinks the message is simple.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14The majority of fruit and veg
0:03:14 > 0:03:17classify as one of your five a day, just as long as they are
0:03:17 > 0:03:21an 80 gram portion, which equates to an apple, an orange, erm,
0:03:21 > 0:03:23some small fruits or any berries
0:03:23 > 0:03:25that'll fit into the palm of your hand.
0:03:25 > 0:03:27The exception to this would be potatoes,
0:03:27 > 0:03:29which are considered a starchy carbohydrate.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34So, if you eat 80 grams of fresh fruit or veg,
0:03:34 > 0:03:37you know that you're getting one of your five a day.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40But more recently, the slogan has been hijacked
0:03:40 > 0:03:43by food manufacturers making processed foods.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45Some are using the phrase to highlight
0:03:45 > 0:03:47the best parts of their products
0:03:47 > 0:03:50to distract us from ingredients that might be less good for us,
0:03:50 > 0:03:53like sugar, salt or fat.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58There are a huge amount of products that use the 5 A Day messaging.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01For example, the ready meals, microwave meals
0:04:01 > 0:04:03and some snacks here at the front.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05A lot of the products in front of us here
0:04:05 > 0:04:08have got high levels of fat, sugar and salt.
0:04:08 > 0:04:10So, it's quite confusing for consumers
0:04:10 > 0:04:13because they also see the 5 A Day messaging on them.
0:04:13 > 0:04:17So, let's start with a tasty-looking ready meal.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19It's labelled as one of your five a day.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22So, in this product here, you are getting some fruit and veg -
0:04:22 > 0:04:27so a pepper, some onion and some peas, which make up 80 grams.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30This product also provides you with almost three grams of salt,
0:04:30 > 0:04:34which is half the amount of salt you're meant to have in one day.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37But when you sprinkle that amount of salt on the veg,
0:04:37 > 0:04:39it's not so appetising.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42This is a lot of salt to have in one meal, and again if you're to serve
0:04:42 > 0:04:46these vegetables to someone covered in salt, they wouldn't eat it.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48Now, we know potatoes don't count,
0:04:48 > 0:04:51so how do fish and chips get a 5 A Day slogan?
0:04:51 > 0:04:54So, with this dish we're clearly NOT getting
0:04:54 > 0:04:57the 5 A Day from the fish or the chips.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00So, it's obviously coming from the peas.
0:05:00 > 0:05:05Here's one of your five a day which comes with 22 grams of fat.
0:05:05 > 0:05:06So, this is almost a third
0:05:06 > 0:05:09of the recommended amount of fat to have in a day.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11And this is bad because some fats are bad for your heart,
0:05:11 > 0:05:13such as saturated fat.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16And they're not very good if you're trying to lose weight.
0:05:16 > 0:05:21So, we decided to make our own "One Of Your 5 A Day Puddings",
0:05:21 > 0:05:24that's got the necessary 80 grams of strawberries per portion.
0:05:24 > 0:05:28But it's got a whole load of custard and cream as well. Yum!
0:05:30 > 0:05:33But if manufacturers can legally label this with the 5 A Day slogan,
0:05:33 > 0:05:37promoted by the Government, doesn't it undermine the whole idea?
0:05:39 > 0:05:42'When you have a question to ask, I believe it's always best to
0:05:42 > 0:05:43'go to the top.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46'So, I took our 5 A Day pudding to Westminster for a meeting
0:05:46 > 0:05:50'with Anne Milton who, at that time, was the Junior Minister for Health.'
0:05:50 > 0:05:53THEY CHATTER
0:05:53 > 0:05:54Oh, my goodness.
0:05:54 > 0:05:58A rather delicious-looking trifle. OK.
0:05:58 > 0:06:03Imagine if you look at this in terms of health and strength.
0:06:03 > 0:06:04That, in particular, I dare say,
0:06:04 > 0:06:07you wouldn't have brought it along unless it was loaded with fat.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10Well, it's a good home-made trifle, which a lot of people indulge in.
0:06:10 > 0:06:14- Is it?- OK, so it's got 80 grams of strawberries per person,
0:06:14 > 0:06:17so that would be my one a day.
0:06:17 > 0:06:22But it also has, per person, 59 grams of sugar per helping.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25And - this is horrific, I think -
0:06:25 > 0:06:27it's got 79.4 grams of fat.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32That's phenomenal, actually. And so, of course, we wouldn't give it
0:06:32 > 0:06:38our logo because it's got added sugar and fat, to start off with.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41And you're right, you say, of course, you - the Government -
0:06:41 > 0:06:43you wouldn't give that your logo.
0:06:43 > 0:06:48But, the problem is it's been hijacked under the 5 A Day tag.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51Because so many people are using it now. How much does it bother you,
0:06:51 > 0:06:53the fact that it has been hijacked?
0:06:53 > 0:06:56It does bother me but people play with words
0:06:56 > 0:06:57and you see it all the time.
0:06:57 > 0:07:02I think there is evidence that the tide has turned a little bit.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05Manufacturers do want to behave more responsibly.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09I think there's nobody who's not aware of the fact that,
0:07:09 > 0:07:13you know, 60% of the adult population is now overweight or obese.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15We have a problem.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18What we need to do is make sure that consumers have the information
0:07:18 > 0:07:21they need, in which the demand from the manufactures of food,
0:07:21 > 0:07:25what they want, in order to lead a healthier lifestyle.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28But it's a confusing market out there at the moment.
0:07:28 > 0:07:30It is. The consumers go along to the shop
0:07:30 > 0:07:32and they look for their logo -
0:07:32 > 0:07:35I just happen to have brought my pot of raisins with me.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38Erm, so here is the logo, er, the Government logo.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40I'm going to be absolutely honest -
0:07:40 > 0:07:44until today, honestly, I'm not aware of this logo at all.
0:07:44 > 0:07:48I don't mean to offend but, I think it's rather insignificant looking.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50No, you're... It doesn't offend me at all.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53The logo's been in place since 2003.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56It's had a desired effect in as much as it raised awareness that
0:07:56 > 0:07:58people should eat their five a day.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00I think you're right, though,
0:08:00 > 0:08:02that recognition of the logo isn't very high,
0:08:02 > 0:08:06and that leads us in danger of the logo being hijacked.
0:08:07 > 0:08:11The Department Of Health reiterated to us that products had to meet
0:08:11 > 0:08:15their strict criteria to get their logo and said that products which
0:08:15 > 0:08:19have their own logo on them tended to be ones that wouldn't eligible.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24We asked the Food And Drink Federation if they agreed
0:08:24 > 0:08:27that food manufacturers are misusing the phrase.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29They said that, currently there is
0:08:29 > 0:08:34no Government advice on how to use a 5 A Day label on composite products.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37And the Institute Of Grocery Distribution
0:08:37 > 0:08:39has developed best-practice guidance,
0:08:39 > 0:08:42which includes nutritional standards,
0:08:42 > 0:08:44to guide retailers and manufacturers
0:08:44 > 0:08:46who want to label their products responsibly.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54In a multi-million-pound market, food manufacturers
0:08:54 > 0:08:57and retailers are after your hard-earned cash.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00And they'll use all their marketing know-how to entice you
0:09:00 > 0:09:03into buying their goods - even going as far as inventing
0:09:03 > 0:09:07some of the places where their products come from.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10So, what's happening these days is that supermarkets, in order to
0:09:10 > 0:09:13stay ahead of the competition, are personalising products
0:09:13 > 0:09:15to give them idyllic names.
0:09:15 > 0:09:17You know, conjuring up all those
0:09:17 > 0:09:20pictures of rural countryside and unique locations.
0:09:20 > 0:09:24It creates a sense of small-scale farming when, in actual fact,
0:09:24 > 0:09:28these products are mass produced in many different locations.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32They come up with evocative titles for product ranges
0:09:32 > 0:09:36such as "Ashfield Farm", used by Aldi.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39"Willow Farm", a Tesco range of chickens.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42And "Lochmuir Salmon" by M&S.
0:09:43 > 0:09:45Ashfield and Willow are named after
0:09:45 > 0:09:49a farm, but not all the products in the range come from there.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52And Lochmuir, well, we'll come to that in a second.
0:09:53 > 0:09:57It's only when you look closer that you find out the truth,
0:09:57 > 0:09:59and there's nothing illegal about it.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05So, the M&S range of Lochmuir salmon may be from Scotland
0:10:05 > 0:10:09but on face value it sounds like it comes from a specific
0:10:09 > 0:10:11and idyllic-sounding location.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14Let's see if the good people of Edinburgh
0:10:14 > 0:10:16are taken in by this mythical place?
0:10:17 > 0:10:19The name makes you assume that it's probably
0:10:19 > 0:10:22the Highlands, somewhere like that. Somewhere near Inverness.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24West Coast.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27The Great Glen on the West Coast, but I've not heard of that loch.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30You'd expect it's a loch somewhere, you know, the name of a loch,
0:10:30 > 0:10:32but I've haven't heard of that, so...
0:10:32 > 0:10:34Lochmuir, never heard of it.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36Uh-oh, smells a bit fishy to me.
0:10:36 > 0:10:40And there's a reason why no-one's ever heard of it.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43Lochmuir is a trademark for Marks & Spencer.
0:10:43 > 0:10:47It is a brand that exists for them to promote their farmed salmon.
0:10:47 > 0:10:52There's no such place as Lochmuir - that means lake of the sea -
0:10:52 > 0:10:57which is where it's water near the sea. It is only as arbitrary as that.
0:10:57 > 0:10:58It doesn't actually exist as a place.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01And the problem, for me, is that a shopper could go into that store
0:11:01 > 0:11:05and pick that up and think it's from a place that exists, and it doesn't.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08To sell products they'll do anything.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10I wouldn't expect them to mislead, no.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12If you saw something with "loch" from Scotland,
0:11:12 > 0:11:13you would think it was a place.
0:11:15 > 0:11:17So, Lochmuir doesn't exist,
0:11:17 > 0:11:21it's just a place dreamt up by the M&S marketing team.
0:11:21 > 0:11:22But it's not only M&S.
0:11:22 > 0:11:26To add an air of quality to one of their range of chicken products,
0:11:26 > 0:11:28Tesco have called it "Willow Farm Chicken".
0:11:29 > 0:11:32That is really... How can they do that?
0:11:32 > 0:11:37They shouldn't be allowed to state that it's a Willow Farm product,
0:11:37 > 0:11:42if it doesn't come from a farm called Willow Farm.
0:11:42 > 0:11:46Most of us go to only a few places to buy our food,
0:11:46 > 0:11:49and they have to find ways to look different.
0:11:49 > 0:11:51And one of the ways to look different is to look small
0:11:51 > 0:11:55and pretend our food is from a specific place.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59There's nothing illegal about describing your product with
0:11:59 > 0:12:00a particular marketing term,
0:12:00 > 0:12:04but I believe it's misleading if it doesn't exist as a place.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08So, how carefully, then, do you have to study a label to make sure
0:12:08 > 0:12:11that what you're buying is what it actually says on the label?
0:12:11 > 0:12:15Well, one thing you CAN do is to look for a trademark sign,
0:12:15 > 0:12:16and if you see this,
0:12:16 > 0:12:20it's a good indication that the name could be made up.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24Of course, many of the supermarkets are employing these
0:12:24 > 0:12:26tricks of the trade.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28When we asked M&S, Tesco and Aldi
0:12:28 > 0:12:31why they're making up names for their products,
0:12:31 > 0:12:34this is what they told us. M&S responded,
0:12:34 > 0:12:38"Lochmuir is a collective way of representing a number of farms,
0:12:38 > 0:12:42"and was chosen to recognise the Scottish provenance of the fish."
0:12:43 > 0:12:48Tesco said, "All the chickens are British and come from a number of
0:12:48 > 0:12:51"farms, one of which is called Willow Farm."
0:12:51 > 0:12:54Aldi said, "Ashfield Farm is a brand name
0:12:54 > 0:12:58"and does not mean that they source the meat from one farm."
0:12:58 > 0:13:01They added that, within the range, they sell 100% British meat.
0:13:02 > 0:13:06So, who, then, are these masters of illusion who create
0:13:06 > 0:13:08the packing that lures us all in?
0:13:08 > 0:13:10There aren't many brand designers who will stand up
0:13:10 > 0:13:13and be counted when it comes to revealing
0:13:13 > 0:13:16the tricks of the trade, but I've managed to find one.
0:13:16 > 0:13:18- Gary, good morning. How are you? - Good morning.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21'Gary Marshall is a leading brand designer with over
0:13:21 > 0:13:24'a decade of experience under his belt.'
0:13:24 > 0:13:27We've been, actually, on the programme doing some research
0:13:27 > 0:13:30and looking at labels and things. And, for example,
0:13:30 > 0:13:33we have here the Lochmuir salmon.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35Now, as I understand it, Lochmuir doesn't even exist.
0:13:35 > 0:13:37That's correct, yes.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40Really, what these companies are trying to do is to create a story.
0:13:40 > 0:13:42So therefore, if you've got places that sound real,
0:13:42 > 0:13:45you can imagine what this fish is going to be like.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48So, in this case what you're trying to imply is this lovely
0:13:48 > 0:13:50Scottish, outdoor, healthy kind of...
0:13:50 > 0:13:53Correct, yes. It's a good, healthy food,
0:13:53 > 0:13:55that's had a good life.
0:13:55 > 0:13:59Because people are emotional, so therefore when they see this,
0:13:59 > 0:14:02the image they've got in their mind can be a little bit more detailed,
0:14:02 > 0:14:04and a little bit more detail makes it a bit more real.
0:14:04 > 0:14:08If you just say it's just a generic... It could be anything.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10You know, sometimes facts tell, emotions sell.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14OK. So, this one is Willow Farm chicken breast fillets.
0:14:14 > 0:14:18If you have an idea of what that place is, then you've made
0:14:18 > 0:14:19that image yourself.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22It's a nice countryside, open fields,
0:14:22 > 0:14:24so you're going to imagine your chickens
0:14:24 > 0:14:27running around in nice sunny country fields, being corn fed...
0:14:27 > 0:14:29You just plant it in my mind.
0:14:29 > 0:14:30I'm just planting it.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33'I've brought a little present along for Gary.
0:14:33 > 0:14:34'I want him to show me
0:14:34 > 0:14:38'how this seemingly mundane string of sausages could be transformed
0:14:38 > 0:14:41'into something that would stand out on a supermarket shelf.'
0:14:43 > 0:14:46'He's created a selection of labels just for my sausages,
0:14:46 > 0:14:50'but be warned, you won't find any of these in the shops.'
0:14:50 > 0:14:52As the designer, what do you feel is drawing me
0:14:52 > 0:14:54to this design, for example?
0:14:54 > 0:14:56This one is very much using the dark colours of black,
0:14:56 > 0:14:59because black's a bit more sort of, premium, elegant.
0:14:59 > 0:15:03So, you would expect a nice rich-flavour sausage, on this one.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06And you used the word "premium", of course.
0:15:06 > 0:15:08Yes, I mean, again, as we all know in marketing,
0:15:08 > 0:15:11we can all use these words - premium, prime cuts -
0:15:11 > 0:15:15to bring out that, sort of, more, probably a better range of sausage.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18And, of course, you've put the various stamps of approval.
0:15:18 > 0:15:22Yeah, if you notice here we've, sort of, got the pig looking down towards
0:15:22 > 0:15:27this to emphasis the UK Quality Pork, which is important to consumers.
0:15:27 > 0:15:31'Now, the logos here are all for genuine accredited schemes -
0:15:31 > 0:15:33'they can only be used if the product
0:15:33 > 0:15:35'is certified by those organisations.
0:15:35 > 0:15:39'So, my sausages would have to meet their strict standards.
0:15:39 > 0:15:42'But if they did, it seems a clever designer knows just how to
0:15:42 > 0:15:45'bring that to the consumers' attention.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48'And what about the pretty pictures?'
0:15:48 > 0:15:52Again, this one, we're using imagery, the pigs here have clearly
0:15:52 > 0:15:55got a lot of space, very nice light, earthy colours.
0:15:55 > 0:15:56I noticed that you called them
0:15:56 > 0:15:59Lincolnshire Sausages, even though my sausages might not necessarily
0:15:59 > 0:16:03be made in Lincolnshire. If I fancy the name, I can still use it?
0:16:03 > 0:16:06Erm, only if it's made in the recipe way of Lincolnshire.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09If you're not doing the flavouring as a Lincolnshire sausage
0:16:09 > 0:16:11and it's not coming from Lincolnshire,
0:16:11 > 0:16:12then you wouldn't be able to do it.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14Hence the reason why you would probably
0:16:14 > 0:16:19make up a place name, as some people have, and put it on there.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21If you look at the illustration,
0:16:21 > 0:16:24there's nothing there that saying how the pigs have been brought up.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26You've used the "home-made" very strongly there, haven't you?
0:16:26 > 0:16:28Yeah, I mean, again it's more personal...
0:16:28 > 0:16:33'Food Standards Agency guidance says that the term "home-made" should be
0:16:33 > 0:16:37'used when preparation reflects a typical domestic situation.'
0:16:37 > 0:16:41Looking at things like the fonts, again, it can add emotion,
0:16:41 > 0:16:43to the different style of font you're using.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46Again, things like sizes, you've only got a split second
0:16:46 > 0:16:50when the consumer first sees it, so again make it very clear what it is.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54The secondary text, as we would call it, is more a description.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56For this one we've just put, "Traditionally made sausages
0:16:56 > 0:17:00"using only the finest prime cuts, mixed with our unique
0:17:00 > 0:17:02"blend of seasoning and natural casings."
0:17:02 > 0:17:03So, you'd get away with it,
0:17:03 > 0:17:05no matter what the quality of sausage, would you?
0:17:05 > 0:17:06Yes, you probably would do.
0:17:06 > 0:17:10Some people would tell you there's an artistic licence in some things.
0:17:10 > 0:17:14I think there's a lot of artistic licence, to be honest.
0:17:14 > 0:17:16So, my advice is, finally,
0:17:16 > 0:17:18don't be lured or led astray by the
0:17:18 > 0:17:21rustic and rural-sounding names on the packages.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23Always read the small print.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26Find out exactly where the product comes from and
0:17:26 > 0:17:30if there's no information, then the best advice is to ask the retailer.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35Some foods don't need to pretend to be from somewhere,
0:17:35 > 0:17:39as they're named after the place they originate from.
0:17:39 > 0:17:40Take Cornish pasties.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43They're often stamped with a badge of honour to prove
0:17:43 > 0:17:45they come from Cornwall.
0:17:45 > 0:17:49Now, these logos are called PGIs or PDOs,
0:17:49 > 0:17:52but what they're telling you can be tough to figure out.
0:17:55 > 0:17:57I have no idea on that one.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00Never, ever, ever seen the yellow symbol before.
0:18:00 > 0:18:02I don't know what that means.
0:18:02 > 0:18:04I'm not familiar with that, myself.
0:18:06 > 0:18:10So, it means where it's produced is, maybe, environmentally friendly?
0:18:10 > 0:18:13Now, I'll let you into a trade secret.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16A PGI is a Protected Geographical Indication
0:18:16 > 0:18:20and a PDO is Protected Designation Of Origin.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22Are you any the wiser?
0:18:22 > 0:18:26Well, 53 British foods can wear these logos with pride.
0:18:26 > 0:18:30Now, these PGIs and PDOs are the labels that put
0:18:30 > 0:18:35the Cornish in the pasty and the Jersey in Jersey Royals.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38They were dreamt up by the bureaucrats in Brussels,
0:18:38 > 0:18:42with the idea of protecting heritage food right across Europe.
0:18:42 > 0:18:46They're to stop champagne growers in France, for example,
0:18:46 > 0:18:48being undercut by cheap fizz imports.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50And now, the scheme has been extended -
0:18:50 > 0:18:54everything from bangers and beer to those Cornish pasties.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59To be a PDO, the food has to be produced
0:18:59 > 0:19:01and processed in a particular area.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03But for a PGI, only one of the
0:19:03 > 0:19:07stages of production or preparation needs to take place there.
0:19:07 > 0:19:08And that's the rub.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11Because while it should be a badge of authenticity and quality,
0:19:11 > 0:19:15some feel it favours big business over artisan food-makers.
0:19:16 > 0:19:20Simon Byron-Edmund makes traditional Cornish pasties,
0:19:20 > 0:19:24but since the introduction of the PGI, he can't market them as such,
0:19:24 > 0:19:25because he's based in Devon.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31In 2009 we won best pasty in the country,
0:19:31 > 0:19:36and we were then banned in 2010 because we weren't from Cornwall.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41Today, Simon is simply out to prove a point.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44He's going to show us why a PGI
0:19:44 > 0:19:46might not be all that it's cracked up to be.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52The border of Devon and Cornwall
0:19:52 > 0:19:55runs through the centre of this bridge over the River Tamar.
0:19:57 > 0:20:01To the left lies Cornwall, and to the right is Devon.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04And stuck in the middle of the two counties is Simon.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09He'll be making two pasties, one on either side of the border,
0:20:09 > 0:20:11but only one of them
0:20:11 > 0:20:15has the right to be called a Cornish pasty under PGI guidelines.
0:20:16 > 0:20:20Let's see what's going into the pasty on the Cornish side.
0:20:20 > 0:20:24Well, these, we've got some nice Israeli potatoes here.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26We've got a little Swede here
0:20:26 > 0:20:28that's come from somewhere in the Eastern Bloc.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31A little Chilean onion and we've got a bit of British beef,
0:20:31 > 0:20:32but this could have come from anywhere.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34It could have come from Argentina or Brazil.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37And in the other one, on the Devon side...
0:20:37 > 0:20:40So, we've got a lovely bit of beef skirt all the way from Cornwall.
0:20:40 > 0:20:41Some Cornish onion.
0:20:41 > 0:20:45Bit of lovely Cornish swede, and some potatoes that we got from Cornwall.
0:20:45 > 0:20:49Simon's preparing both pasties using a traditional recipe -
0:20:49 > 0:20:53the only difference is where the ingredients have come from.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56Over it goes, make sure everything's tucked in.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59You can put all sorts of crimps on pasties. No...
0:20:59 > 0:21:01It could stay like that,
0:21:01 > 0:21:04but we're little rope crimp, this will just hold it together.
0:21:04 > 0:21:06It might contain foreign ingredients,
0:21:06 > 0:21:09but the fact that it's been assembled in Cornwall
0:21:09 > 0:21:12gives this pasty protected Cornish status.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16But what about the pasty that Simon's been assembling
0:21:16 > 0:21:21on the Devon side of the bridge, using 100% Cornish ingredients?
0:21:21 > 0:21:26So, here we have a classic, iconic, side-crimped pasty,
0:21:26 > 0:21:29made in the classic Cornish style.
0:21:29 > 0:21:31But because I'm six inches into Devon,
0:21:31 > 0:21:35this cannot be called a Cornish pasty. This, in fact, is a pasty.
0:21:38 > 0:21:42Simon's off to the pub for a taste test.
0:21:42 > 0:21:43That's very good.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47His Devon pasties made with Cornish ingredients
0:21:47 > 0:21:49seem to have won the day.
0:21:50 > 0:21:51I prefer the taste of that one.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56Simon can pat himself on the back for his great baking
0:21:56 > 0:22:00but he'll never make the PGI grade whilst his business is in Devon.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04A pasty should have high meat content,
0:22:04 > 0:22:08it should be made with good provenance local ingredients.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10That's what a good pasty should be about.
0:22:10 > 0:22:14Unfortunately, the bar has been set a little bit low for the PGI,
0:22:14 > 0:22:17whereby you don't have to buy within a region,
0:22:17 > 0:22:19you don't HAVE to buy within a region.
0:22:19 > 0:22:21I'm not suggesting that some companies don't,
0:22:21 > 0:22:23but you don't HAVE to.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26We asked DEFRA to comment, they said
0:22:26 > 0:22:31that it's the applicant who chooses whether to apply for a PDO or a PGI.
0:22:31 > 0:22:33And that the production process, raw materials
0:22:33 > 0:22:37and ability to justify the products' link to the area will be
0:22:37 > 0:22:41a major factor in determining which is the most appropriate.
0:22:41 > 0:22:46The Cornish Pasty Association told us, "PGI and PDO classifications are
0:22:46 > 0:22:49"related specifically to authenticity
0:22:49 > 0:22:51"and the origin of the product.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54"As those features can themselves be an indication of quality,
0:22:54 > 0:22:58"it is not the case that the classifications
0:22:58 > 0:23:00"are not a guarantee of quality.
0:23:00 > 0:23:01"The purpose of the law
0:23:01 > 0:23:04"is to protect the reputation of regional foods,
0:23:04 > 0:23:07"promote rural and agricultural activity,
0:23:07 > 0:23:11"help producers obtain a premium price for their authentic products,
0:23:11 > 0:23:14"and eliminate unfair competition
0:23:14 > 0:23:17"or misleading consumers by non-genuine products."
0:23:20 > 0:23:24So, a PDO logo should be a dead giveaway for what you're getting.
0:23:24 > 0:23:29Like on this Cornish cream, it shows that it comes from Cornwall.
0:23:29 > 0:23:33But how about another great British staple - chicken soup?
0:23:33 > 0:23:36You'd expect it to have some chicken meat in it,
0:23:36 > 0:23:39otherwise, they couldn't call it chicken soup, could they?
0:23:39 > 0:23:42But some soups have more chicken in them than others.
0:23:43 > 0:23:46Now, we're not talking clear chicken broth.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49When we looked at a sample of 20 soups to see which one came
0:23:49 > 0:23:53top of the pecking order when it came to actual chicken content,
0:23:53 > 0:23:56we were shocked to find out how much, or indeed, how little meat
0:23:56 > 0:23:58they actually contained.
0:23:59 > 0:24:03Even the top ones in our sample only contained 8%.
0:24:03 > 0:24:05But at the other end of the scale,
0:24:05 > 0:24:10the worst offender had a chicken content of just 0.5%.
0:24:12 > 0:24:17Now, I don't know about you but, to me, shopping should be simple.
0:24:17 > 0:24:21And when you pick up a product, it should absolutely clear
0:24:21 > 0:24:24what you're buying simply by looking at the label.
0:24:24 > 0:24:26We found many examples
0:24:26 > 0:24:29where there's a scant amount of the ingredients you might expect to eat
0:24:29 > 0:24:31when you glance at the name of the product.
0:24:31 > 0:24:35Let's have look at this one. This is guacamole-style topping.
0:24:35 > 0:24:41When you check the label on this one, it only has 3% avocado in it,
0:24:41 > 0:24:43so it surely is a style.
0:24:43 > 0:24:47And this, probably, is the worst example I have in my current basket,
0:24:47 > 0:24:49because it's chicken and mushroom -
0:24:49 > 0:24:51a pasta sauce with chicken and mushroom -
0:24:51 > 0:24:52But when you check it,
0:24:52 > 0:24:56there's only 1% mushroom and no chicken whatsoever.
0:24:56 > 0:24:57It's just chicken flavour.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02That word "flavour" is a classic on packets.
0:25:02 > 0:25:03Under the regulations,
0:25:03 > 0:25:06a chicken "flavour" soup does not have to contain any trace
0:25:06 > 0:25:09of real chicken in it whatsoever.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13But, if you stick an E and D on the end of flavour
0:25:13 > 0:25:14to make it "flavoured",
0:25:14 > 0:25:17then that changes the meaning completely.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20If something's referred to as "flavoured",
0:25:20 > 0:25:22then it's derived from the real thing.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24Still not terribly reassuring, is it?
0:25:25 > 0:25:28The use of the word "flavour" is really
0:25:28 > 0:25:31used by manufactures to indicate that
0:25:31 > 0:25:33there isn't, generally speaking,
0:25:33 > 0:25:34the product in there.
0:25:34 > 0:25:39So, for instance, beef-flavour crisps don't necessarily have beef in them.
0:25:39 > 0:25:42Now, we want to find out if people, generally, are aware
0:25:42 > 0:25:44of how little chicken meat
0:25:44 > 0:25:47manufacturers get away with putting in your soup.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49So, we're off to an East End market in London
0:25:49 > 0:25:50to carry out a little experiment.
0:25:54 > 0:25:55Our researchers set up a stall
0:25:55 > 0:25:58and laid out these three plates of chicken.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01Which would people expect to find in an average sized
0:26:01 > 0:26:02can of chicken soup?
0:26:02 > 0:26:07Would it be 100 grams, 50 grams or just 10 grams?
0:26:08 > 0:26:10I think about that much.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12That would be too much.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15That's not enough. I'd say the one in the middle.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17Obviously I'd like that amount in it.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19For a soup, I would point to this.
0:26:19 > 0:26:21They're all way off the mark.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24Even the soup from our survey with the MOST chicken had a whole
0:26:24 > 0:26:28two grams less than the smallest dish.
0:26:28 > 0:26:30It's a big con, really, isn't it? It's just a total big con.
0:26:30 > 0:26:32I'm never going to eat chicken soup again.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36- Make your own, that's the answer. - Make your own...!
0:26:36 > 0:26:39So, just how little meat could a manufacturer add
0:26:39 > 0:26:42and still call it chicken soup?
0:26:42 > 0:26:45We got in touch with DEFRA, which is the Government department
0:26:45 > 0:26:48responsible for food policy and regulation,
0:26:48 > 0:26:51to find out the definitive answer.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53They told us that there is - now, wait for this -
0:26:53 > 0:26:56there is no minimum amount of the key ingredient.
0:26:56 > 0:27:00No amount whatsoever is specified in the regulations.
0:27:00 > 0:27:05So therefore, a chicken soup with just 0.00001% of chicken
0:27:05 > 0:27:09would actually still qualify as a chicken soup.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13I think you'll agree, absolutely unbelievable.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16And there's one important regulation everybody should know about.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20The ingredients listed on the back of a package are always
0:27:20 > 0:27:24in quantity order, starting with the most plentiful at the top.
0:27:24 > 0:27:28Except for flavourings that don't add up to any more than 2%.
0:27:28 > 0:27:30So, for instance,
0:27:30 > 0:27:34if you want plenty of cheese in your sauce or apple in your crumble,
0:27:34 > 0:27:36make sure it's high up on the list -
0:27:36 > 0:27:38that way you know exactly what you're buying.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43The reality is that food labelling is a nightmare.
0:27:43 > 0:27:47And the trick is never to take anything at face value.
0:27:47 > 0:27:51But hopefully now, when you're out shopping,
0:27:51 > 0:27:53at least you'll know what to look out for
0:27:53 > 0:27:57to avoid some of those marketing traps set up by the retailers.
0:27:57 > 0:27:59Remember, all the information is on the pack.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02The trouble is, it's in very, very small writing.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05So watch out, or at least bring your glasses.
0:28:10 > 0:28:12Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd