MSP Receives Assurance from ASDA on Scotch Beef Labelling

Following his approach to the Asda Supermarket chain with concerns that the Saltire and words ‘Scotch Beef’ had been dropped from their meat labels in some of their outlets, Banff & Buchan MSP Stewart Stevenson today welcomed the response of Tony DeNunzio, President and CEO of Asda in the UK.

In a letter to the Asda Chief, Mr Stevenson said:

“As the elected representative of one of the foremost beef-producing areas in Britain, I can assure you than this development caused a considerable amount of dissent from both consumers and producers in this area”.

Mr DeNunzio admitted to the MSP that there had been some ‘lack of clarity’ with Asda labelling, which had now been rectified.

Mr. Stevenson commented:

“Asda has assured me that the majority of beef sold in their stores is Scottish – and will continue to be packaged with the distinctive Scottish Saltire label.

“Like Scotch Whisky, Scottish Beef is firmly established as a market leader of quality throughout the world, and it almost beggars belief that a company such as Asda should consider the retrograde step of removing the distinctive Scottish brand label from its produce. Any attempt to dilute the strong market identity of this product is one that is likely to meet with strong customer resistance. Certainly it is one which is contrary to the received intelligence of most marketing organisations. By selling Scottish beef, Asda is already providing its customers with the premier product – it would defy logic not to advertise that fact”.