An investigation is underway by Bord Bia into the use of its Quality Assurance (QA) mark in advertisements and in store by a supermarket chain in Ireland.
The logo can only be used on advertising or promotional fliers where all products advertised or promoted are Bord Bia Quality Assured.
Bord Bia said it has sought clarification from the specific retailer in relation to its use of the QA mark.
The Irish Food Board has stressed that it takes the misuse of the QA mark “very seriously”.
It said: “The Bord Bia quality mark is important for both the sourcing and marketing of Irish fresh produce.
“Recent Bord Bia research indicates that 77% of consumers are more likely to purchase fruit and vegetables that carry the Bord Bia quality mark.”
QA mark
According to Bord Bia it carries out retail audits all year to monitor the use of the logo in stores and has a defined process in place for logo approval on promotional materials.
The stores audited include: Tesco; Lidl; Aldi; Centra; Dunnes Stores; SuperValu; Spar; and Mace.
Results are presented in Power BI graphs on the the Irish Food Board’s website. Actual percentage figures of facings with the QA mark by product and retailer are also included.
In addition, companies that use the logo, including retailers, must contact Irish Food Board if they become aware that they have misused the logo.
Around 50,000 farmers and over 100 meat processors are accredited to the Bord Bia Quality Assurance Schemes. The logo means that when a consumer buys food with this logo it has been produced and processed by members of these schemes.
The QA mark can be used on red meat, poultry, eggs, fruit/vegetables and plants.