News/Press releases
This ill-conceived amendment discriminates against Kosher food
The following statement was issued today - 16 June 2010 - by the Chairman of Shechita UK, Henry Grunwald QC
The European Parliament today voted on a on a proposal for a new regulation on the provision of food information to consumers and in particular voted to include an amendment to the regulation discriminatorily labelling all meat and meat products derived from animals that have been slaughtered by Shechita ‘meat from slaughter without stunning’.
In response the Chairman of Shechita UK said:
“This ill-conceived amendment discriminates against Kosher food and will have a significant impact on the kosher meat industry across Europe.”
“The Jewish Community is fully supportive of providing consumers with information about the origins of their food and we urged MEPs that if they wanted to label meat and meat products, labels should include those killed by electrocution, shooting, gassing or clubbing as well as the many millions of animals that are mis-stunned during the stunning process. To pick on one method is suspicious, troubling and discriminatory.”
Henry Grunwald emphasised that the Jewish Community is an originator of food labelling with its Hechsher saying:
“The Jewish Community is clearly supportive of food labelling as all products consumed by Orthodox Jews, whether that be a pint of milk or loaf of bread, must carry a rabbinic seal guaranteeing the origins and kashrut of that product.”
ENDS
For further information, please contact Shimon Cohen or Aaron Kliner at the Shechita UK Press Office on 020 7284 6969