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Ho
1929]
attitude allowed by means of a general label, "All imported unless otherwise
marked," which label is very extensively used in London and generally tolerated,
although it is not legal according to the wording of the Order.
There has grown a practice among a proportion of dealers of using such a
label in a way not fair to the purchaser, inasmuch as in the Order there is a proviso
for labelling any slab, rail or counter where only imported meat is exposed, and a
further provision for one label to be conspicuously exhibited where only imported
is on offer. The label referred to might not impose any hardship if it were
exhibited where it were easily seen, not " skied " or obscured by hanging meat,
and if the small proportion of English meat were, each piece, labelled, but in many
shops not one half of the English meat is labelled, and in very many instances not
one-tenth, while both English and imported meat is mixed up indiscriminately with
here and there an English label, so as to tax the ability of almost an expert to
distinguish. The only guide left to the ordinary customer is whatever the butcher
chooses to tell her.
There seems also, curiously enough, to be a preference for exposing the
general notice, "All meat imported unless otherwise marked," even although the
whole of the meat is English with the exception of a few joints of New Zealand
Lamb, or one or two pieces of Argentine Chilled Beef. Therefore it would appear
that the notice is being used simply to make non-effective the spirit of the Order.
It is not suggested that butchers as a rule will deliberately sell imported meat
as English, but that a proportion of them are not anxious to enlighten customers
exactly while it can be avoided. In other words, these particular traders do not
mind a customer believing she is buying English when in fact the meat is imported
without having definitely deceived her.
The result of the inquiry showed that throughout the London Boroughs the
general notice was tolerated. A number of boroughs replied that they had the
same experience as Islington. For instance, in one borough the users of "skied"
labels were warned in regard to the matter; in another borough on occasions it
had been necessary to ask a butcher to give more publicity to the notice; in
another the Inspectors had to enforce that care is taken as far as possible to ensure
the separation of the two kinds of meat, imported and English. One was not
satisfied that when a joint is displayed of English and Scotch meat, it is marked as
such.
One stated that the Order appears to require re-drafting in the light of experience;
another that a close supervision was required to ensure that the interests of
customers were safeguarded; another had experience that English and imported
meat got mixed up indiscriminately. The City of London had experienced difficulty
in relation to the size of labelling and lettering.
As regards position of labels, any difficulty was only sometimes found. The
inquiry was fruitful inasmuch as we had replies from every metropolitan area, and
the concensus of opinion was, in the great majority of cases, that the same difficulties
were experienced as in Islington, therefore it would appear that when this
Order is being revised at any time it would be expedient to have it redrafted, 3S
was expressed by one Borough, "in the light of experience."
Cowsheds — Only one cowshed is now within the Borough and it received 3
visits by the Inspector. It was found to be in a satisfactory condition.