THE National Pig Association has urged trading standards officers to take a more aggressive stance on misleading food labels.

In a leaflet entitled How to Buy British Pork, launched on Monday, the NPA highlighted the ways in which manufacturers and retailers confuse shoppers.

Stewart Houston, NPA executive director who farms near Bedale, said it was common practice for manufacturers to process imported meat and describe it as "Produce of UK".

"They know it misleads shoppers, so we question their motives for doing it," he said.

NPA said that, as long as imported pork was substantially processed in this country, manufacturers were technically within the law when they labelled it "Produce of UK".

Manufacturers could, however, break the law if information they gave on labels misled the public.

"It is a grey area that seriously affects the ability of consumers to make an informed choice when buying pork products," said Mr Houston. "We would like to see trading standards officers taking more robust action to ensure the public are not misled."

The NPA leaflet warns shoppers of packaging designers' tricks of the trade and advises them always to look for the British Meat Quality Standard Mark or the Little Red Tractor, preferably in conjunction with a clear statement such as: "This product is made from British pork."

Many consumers choose to buy British pork because it is produced to higher welfare standards than most imported pork; is independently audited from the farm to the supermarket shelf and is fresher.

The leaflet states: "If you're unsure, put it back on the shelf. Remember, it isn't your job to decipher confusing labels. If a label isn't clear, move on quickly to one that is."