Government lawyers have confirmed that ‘farmed’ will remain off Scottish salmon labels, arguing it was unnecessary and pejorative.
A tribunal this week dismissed appeals from animal rights groups Wildfish and Animal Equality against the decision taken last year by Defra, to allow the Scottish salmon farming industry to drop the word ‘farmed’ from its Protected Geographical Indication name.
The groups had objected to the name change from ‘Scottish farmed salmon’ to ‘Scottish salmon’ on the basis it was misleading consumers and greenwashing the industry.
A Defra lawyer said during the court hearing there was “no need for the PGI to include unnecessary pejorative words” and that it was “not in the economic interest of producers”.
“We are very disappointed,” said Rachel Mulrenan, Scotland director of Wildfish. “This name change is just a continuation of the industry trying to make misleading claims about the reputation of Scottish farmed salmon in the eyes of consumers. And what’s worse, the law is allowing this to happen.”
She added the name change gave consumers less information about how the fish was brought to supermarket shelves.
This comes as an inquiry carried out by the Scottish parliament in 2024 last week issued its report, which concluded that environmental and welfare progress in the salmon farming industry in Scotland has been too slow.
The reporting committee said it would explore recommending a moratorium of industry growth if the related issues are not addressed in the next 12 months.
“There is loud and growing discontent with the Scottish farmed salmon industry,” said Abigail Penny, executive director of Animal Equality UK. “Consumer trust has been severely dented by continued evidence of welfare abuses, lice and disease outbreaks, and government data revealing that millions of fish died on farms last year.”
Penny added it was “unsurprising” that the industry wanted the word ‘farmed’ removed from labels but called for “greater transparency than ever before”.
“We are disappointed that this decision has not been overturned. It is a clear indication that our work must continue to show the realities of this industry to consumers across the UK and around the world,” said Penny.
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