Irish consumers were yesterday urged to boycott Galtee pork and bacon products by former workers and pig suppliers who accused the company of failing to clearly state where it is sourcing meat for its products.
About 50 former workers, pig suppliers and members of the local business community in Mitchelstown, Co Cork, yesterday staged a protest outside the Galtee Meats plant in the town, which is due to close later this month with the loss of some 50 jobs.
Galtee Meats along with Shaws and Roscrea Meats are brands owned by Breeo Foods, a subsidiary of co-op giant Dairygold whose chief executive, Jerry Henchy, was strongly criticised at yesterday's protest over outsourcing the pork and bacon processing. The Save Galtee Action Group chairman, local Cork East Fianna Fáil TD Ned O'Keeffe, said the group believed the pig meat being used in Galtee, Shaws and Roscrea rashers and bacon is sourced from abroad.
"We believe this pig meat is coming from abroad and we want the label to identify the country of origin, the site of manufacture and the place of packaging because Irish consumers don't know where the meat they are buying is coming from," he said.
Action group secretary Tony Lewis said it would now seek discussions with main multiples such as Tesco and Dunnes Stores to seek greater openness in the labelling of Galtee, Shaws and Roscrea pig meat products.
Breeo Foods strongly rejected the group's claims and said an annual independent audit shows it continues to purchase the same substantial quantity of Irish pig meat every year since it ceased pig slaughtering in 2004.
