Truth behind food: New National Food Provenance Centre to open in England

The founder of the Happerley traceability scheme has said it was time to tell consumers ‘the truth’ behind their food

Increased transparency in the food supply chain would give farmers the opportunity to ‘shout from the rooftops’ about their high standards, as consumers look for more information about their food.

But most of the food industry was ‘being smoke screened’ with many companies not wanting to reveal all about their supply chain.

Food provenance scheme Happerley’s founder and chief executive Matthew Rhymer has said it was time to tell consumers the truth.

No excuse

Mr Rhymer said: “To those who say food needs to be cheap, that is not an excuse for a lack of transparency. Even the £3.99 chicken producer needs to tell their story. The consumer wants that choice.”

It came as it unveiled plans to create a national food provenance centre in England situated at Lock 29 in Banbury’s Castle Quay, Oxfordshire.

Every item of food or drink sold will have full traceability, with consumers able to scan a QR code and discover exactly where the core ingredients were from.

TV presenter and Happerley ambassador Adam Henson said the timing could not be better as people were ‘drilling into their conscience’.

“It gives us farmers a platform to shout from the rooftops about our excellent farming systems and to be able to get the British consumer on board by honesty and integrity,” he said.