Require honey labels to reflect all countries of origin of the honey.

Currently the country of origin on labels can be replaced, if the honey originates from multiple countries, with ‘blend of EU/non-EU/EU and non-EU honeys’. We believe this is insufficient to allow consumers to make an informed choice. All countries where the honey originated should be listed.

To meet demand, around 90% of the honey we eat in the UK is imported. There is legitimate concern among UK beekeepers and honey producers about honey imports from countries where honey may be adulterated on an industrial scale. This can significantly impact the perceived value of honey in the consumer’s eye and result in unfair economic competition against UK producers. Labelling with full country of origin would enable consumers to choose honey from sources where adulteration is less likely.

The Government recognises the importance of high standards for all foods, including honey. All honey on sale in England, regardless of where it comes from, must comply with the Honey (England) Regulations 2015, with equivalent legislation applying across Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. This legislation sets out detailed specifications of its composition, labelling, and quality criteria.

The UK has a thriving and diverse honey market which provides consumers with access to a variety of products, including domestically produced, imported, single origin and blended honey. Demand for honey has grown steadily and consumers are able to enjoy many different types of honeys, to suit different requirements at a wide range of price points.

The general requirement in regulation 17 of the Honey (England) Regulations 2015 is that honey cannot be sold in England unless the country of origin where the honey has been harvested is indicated on the label. However, for reasons of practicality special provisions apply to ‘blended’ honeys comprising honeys from more than one country where honey producers can opt for an alternative expression of origin indicating that a honey is a blend from more than one country. We allow blended honeys the option not to list each of the countries from where the honey is sourced to make the blend for reasons of practicality and cost. The mix of different honeys in blended honeys may change frequently throughout the year, depending on availability, price, and seasonality of the various types of honey and the specific countries from where the honey is sourced could therefore change. Requiring producers to constantly update their labels to keep pace with these changes would be highly burdensome, increasing the cost of production and potentially the price to consumers. Consumers consider many factors when purchasing honey including taste, culinary requirement, and cost in addition to origin.