Hong Kong | USMEF Testifies Before Legislative Council On Draft Chilled Meat ...
Hong Kong
USMEF Testifies Before Legislative Council On Draft Chilled Meat Labeling Legislation
USMEF Senior Vice President, Asia Pacific Joel Haggard and Hong Kong Marketing Manager John Lam presented verbal testimony to members of Hong Kong's Legislative Council (LEGCO) Tuesday (Sept. 26) on the issue of proposed legislation to require labeling for chilled pre-packaged beef, pork and lamb.
The proposed legislation is intended to combat a current problem in Hong Kong of meat purveyors selling chilled meat - mainly from China and Thailand - as freshly slaughtered meat, which commands a higher price and currently enjoys greater consumer preference.
Instances of cross-selling are expected to increase after Hong Kong established eligibility last month to Chinese meat plants for supplying chilled pork to Hong Kong. Prior to August, only frozen pork and live hogs for local processing were allowed access to Hong Kong from China.
Under the proposed legislation, chilled pre-packaged meat from all sources would have to display a label indicating the slaughter date and slaughter location. USMEF submitted testimony contending that such retail labeling does not assure product quality, freshness or safety, noting that chilled vacuum packaged U.S. beef and pork can retain fresh characteristics for up to several months if handled properly.
Major Hong Kong retailers selling both fresh and chilled meat have already been forced to eliminate some chilled meat full-service counters, replacing them with pre-packaged chilled product.
USMEF further stated that placing the slaughter date on the retail label could mislead consumers into thinking that meat slaughtered weeks ago in the United States was less fresh, less safe, or of lower quality than meat processed from animals slaughtered just days ago in China or more geographically proximate locations.
LEGCO is continuing to debate the legislation.
Hong Kong
USMEF Testifies Before Legislative Council On Draft Chilled Meat Labeling Legislation
USMEF Senior Vice President, Asia Pacific Joel Haggard and Hong Kong Marketing Manager John Lam presented verbal testimony to members of Hong Kong's Legislative Council (LEGCO) Tuesday (Sept. 26) on the issue of proposed legislation to require labeling for chilled pre-packaged beef, pork and lamb.
The proposed legislation is intended to combat a current problem in Hong Kong of meat purveyors selling chilled meat - mainly from China and Thailand - as freshly slaughtered meat, which commands a higher price and currently enjoys greater consumer preference.
Instances of cross-selling are expected to increase after Hong Kong established eligibility last month to Chinese meat plants for supplying chilled pork to Hong Kong. Prior to August, only frozen pork and live hogs for local processing were allowed access to Hong Kong from China.
Under the proposed legislation, chilled pre-packaged meat from all sources would have to display a label indicating the slaughter date and slaughter location. USMEF submitted testimony contending that such retail labeling does not assure product quality, freshness or safety, noting that chilled vacuum packaged U.S. beef and pork can retain fresh characteristics for up to several months if handled properly.
Major Hong Kong retailers selling both fresh and chilled meat have already been forced to eliminate some chilled meat full-service counters, replacing them with pre-packaged chilled product.
USMEF further stated that placing the slaughter date on the retail label could mislead consumers into thinking that meat slaughtered weeks ago in the United States was less fresh, less safe, or of lower quality than meat processed from animals slaughtered just days ago in China or more geographically proximate locations.
LEGCO is continuing to debate the legislation.