PRIME cuts of fresh beef on sale in Irish supermarkets are from Irish cattle, but some British beef may be contained in prepared meals and other foreign beef products.
Superquinn has contacted suppliers of about 80 beef products which it stocks in an attempt to ascertain the origin of the beef in each product. However, if the beef is British or if Superquinn is unable to discover its origin, the product will be removed from shelves before the shops open this morning.
Dunnes and Marks & Spencer said they would let consumers decide whether to purchase ready meals which may or may not contain British beef. The country of manufacture is usually detailed on all prepared food products however, the origin of the raw materials could be from other countries. Therefore, a British made frozen beef curry does not necessarily contain British beef.
Quinnsworth and Crazy Prices also believe that ultimately the consumer will decide, but their parent company, Power Supermarkets, has begun to seek information from suppliers of ready meal and foreign branded products about the origin of beef.
A Dunnes Stores spokesman said that all its fresh and chilled beef was Irish, and that all products sold under the St Bernard or Dunnes brand name were also produced here. "People have gone and checked today with suppliers since early morning. It's 100 per cent Irish."
But the spokesman agreed that British beef was probably used in other branded ready meal products. He said it was up to consumers to decide whether or not to buy particular products.
Mr Geoff Rowbotham, general manager of Marks & Spencer Ireland, said that all fresh beef on sale in its stores in the Republic was Irish, and was labelled as a product of the Republic of Ireland. He said that "recipe dishes" made in the UK were often made from products from a number of European countries. Raw materials used in all M&S stocked products were "stringently checked", he added.
Where British beef was used, it originates from young male animals and no cow beef is ever taken, according to a statement from M&S in London. Strict standards of quality, hygiene, and safety are maintained at all abattoirs used by M&S, the statement added.
The managing director of Superquinn, Mr Feargal Quinn, said all fresh beef sold in his shops was Irish and could be traced back to the farmer. But the origin of the meat in about 80 other branded beef products was unknown. "We have begun to check with our suppliers and tomorrow we will be able to put our customers' minds at rest."
Mr Quinn said that if Superquinn cannot ascertain the origin of the beef by this morning the product in question will not be stocked in his stores. Any products with British beef will also be withdrawn, at least temporarily until the company can be assured of the exact origin and quality of the beef.
Mr Maurice Pratt, marketing director of Quinnsworth, said that all fresh beef in Quinnsworth and Crazy Prices was Irish. The company's own brand products were also guaranteed Irish.
But Mr Pratt said that he "could not speak" for suppliers of major national brands which contained beef, or for ready meals. Information was now being sought from such suppliers, he added.