In the aftermath of a recent false labeling controversy of foreign pork as British, the UK honey debacle and a plethora of other cases, the prevalence of food fraud is at an all-time high. Renowned organizations have been impacted by serious food fraud incidents over the last decade. This ‘shadow economy’ currently impacts over 10% of the global supply chain and costs the industry $40 billion annually, according to The Consumer Brands Association.
Not only the economic impact of food fraud, but also potential health consequences and knock-on, reputational damage for brands across the sector. According to NFU Mutual, 72% of consumers believe there to be an issue with food fraud in the UK, and only 12% have confidence in the European food chain.