IF YOU don’t think that lamb curry has really got lamb in it, or if your burger tastes a bit horsey, you can now lift the phone and call Scotland’s first-ever food crime hotline.
Launched this week by Food Standards Scotland in conjunction with Crimestoppers, the initiative gives members of the public and industry a dedicated telephone line to report anonymously any suspicions of food crime.
The new free number – 0800 028 7926 – will be operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There will also be an option to report concerns via a non-traceable online form.
Food crime is defined as any deliberate manipulation, substitution, mislabelling or instance of fraud in relation to food. The new initiative, which has its roots in the horsemeat scandal of 2013, will allow FSS’s Scottish Food Crime and Incidents Unit to gather vital intelligence to target those involved in criminal activities, which cost the UK food and drink industry an estimated £1.17bn annually.
Food Standards Scotland chief executive, Geoff Ogle, said: “The launch of the free hotline is one of a number of steps FSS is taking to address the problem in Scotland. We hope it will raise awareness of the issue of food crime and give consumers a trusted point of contact to report concerns in complete anonymity.”

NFU Scotland president Allan Bowie commented: “Farmers, crofters and growers in Scotland consistently work hard to produce high-quality, safe food. This new helpline will assist in identifying scrupulous operators who are allowing unsafe and untraceable food to enter the food chain.

“The market for illicit food has meant that farmers, crofters and consumers have been impacted by the likes of horse-gate and illegal animal rustling in recent years and we welcome any progress that can be made to combat this through the food crime new helpline.

“NFU Scotland continues to push for consumers to be given more information about their food, including vitally important origin information. We commend Food Standards Scotland (FSS) and Crimestoppers in progressing this and will continue to work with Police Scotland and FSS to prevent food and rural crime.”