Fish producer only codding the customer
Galway shoppers could fall ‘hook, line and sinker’ for misleading packaging on fish products sold in a leading supermarket locally, according to a food watchdog.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland said it would be contacting Dunnes Stores and Kilmore Quay over food labels that breach legislation and could be ‘codding’ customers.
The FSAI investigated a complaint from Galway Bay Against Salmon Cages, which claimed Dunnes Stores in Eyre Square, Galway was selling farmed smoked salmon with misleading labels.
“We agree that they are in breach of the legislation since they are not clear in specifying the country in which the fish was farmed and also the fact that both labels are misleading due to the graphics which suggest the fish were caught at sea,” said Clodagh Crehan, information executive at FSAI.
She added: “We have identified a number of additional issues with the labels and we will be contacting each of the food businesses to advise them of these issues.”
Billy Smith, chairman of GBASC, had complained to the authority about misleading labels on packaging of farmed smoked salmon that was for sale in Dunnes in December.
The Kilmore Quay packaging showed a picture of a hook and line close to the mouth of a salmon. “This gives the impression that the salmon is a wild fish and was caught with a fishing rod and line,” he said. The back of the pack said the fish was in fact “farmed in Ireland, Scotland and Norway”.
The Dunnes Stores salmon packaging had a picture of an ocean scene with a trawler in the foreground. “This gives the impression that the salmon was a wild salmon caught by a trawler and not a farmed salmon,” he complained.
On the back of the Dunnes’ salmon packages, the small print gave the country of origin as “farmed in Scotland, Norway, Faroe Islands, Iceland and Chile”.
Mr Smith warned shoppers to be vigilant when buying fish products.
“Always check the small print on the back of packets of salmon and if you think there is something fishy about it, complain to the FSAI who are very helpful with inquiries,” he added.