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Rural Crime News And Alerts From FarmWatcherUK

'You shouldn't buy meat in the pub': Butchers worry food fraud is on the rise

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'You shouldn't buy meat in the pub': Butchers worry food fraud is on the rise

Date of alert:

Monday, 12 September 2022

Crime Ref:

Force:

National

There are concerns that an increase in animal theft could be linked to the cost-of-living crisis, as criminals look to cash in on rising meat prices.

Around £2.4 million of cattle and sheep were stolen last year, according to an annual rural crime survey.

Overall, livestock theft increased 3.7% in 2021, compared to the year before.

In some cases, animals were slaughtered and butchered while still in farmers’ fields, meaning they did not undergo safety checks at a registered abattoir.

Rebecca Davidson, rural affairs specialist at NFU Mutual, which conducted the survey, said: “Livestock theft has always been an aspect of farming, but now it’s larger scale and much more organised."

She added: "With meat prices going up we may find that we see an increase in livestock being stolen and then being put into the illicit market."

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'You shouldn't buy meat in the pub': Butchers worry food fraud is on the rise
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