Horsemeat scandal - What lessons have been learned one year on?

By Simon Wright – Follow me on Twitter @Siwri88

Earlier this week was the first anniversary since one of the biggest crises developed in the history of the food industry. It is fair to say that the horsemeat scandal across the United Kingdom and Europe was bad news for many senior figures in the food process – from those working on the production line to the senior heads of supermarkets and food chains.

However as it is now a year on, what lessons have been learnt? Do you care about what is contained in your meal? Were supermarkets right to be blamed?

The short background

News of horsemeat started to emerge on the 16 January 2013 and it was an issue first highlighted in Ireland. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland said beefburgers with traces of equine DNA, including one product classed as an astonishing 29 per cent horse were being supplied to subsidiaries of the ABP Food Group. This included a food production line in Yorkshire. Whilst this was a concern, few could have predicted the revelations that emerged in the days and weeks ahead.

A day later, the ABP Food Group decided to investigate things further and closed their plant in Ireland while the matter was looked into. Not taking chances, 10 million burgers were pulled off the shelves by retailers including Iceland, Aldi, ASDA and Tesco, whilst fast food chain Burger King switched suppliers to ensure they weren’t dragged into the emerging mess.

Worse came in early February when tests showed traces of horsemeat were now being found in frozen lasagne and spaghetti meals. The Findus food group was now coming under scrutiny with their beef lasagne product believed to be one of the meals that had these disturbing traces. Again, the supermarkets reacted quickly and took away these products from our shelves. A day later, the FSA revealed a second case of “gross contamination” after some Findus UK beef lasagnes (pictured below), made by Comigel, a French food supplier contained upto 100 per cent horsemeat. Allegations of ‘criminal activity’ were made and more products from Comigel were being removed across the UK. The likes of Aldi and Tesco moved quicker than their counterparts, reacting almost as soon as they heard of possible trouble.

Turns out there wasn't much beef in Findus' Lasagne range

While David Cameron labelled the scandal as “completely unacceptable,” there was little he could do. After vigorous DNA testing, most cases had horsemeat down as just a filler ingredient but when some products were mismanaged and called ‘beef’ when they didn’t have any ‘beef’ in them, it damaged the creditability of many leading companies in the food sector. Nearly every meat seller in Europe has been affected, although it didn’t spread to a worldwide issue.

In May last year, Willy Selten, a Dutch meat wholesaler was arrested after it was reported he was selling 300 tonnes of horsemeat as beef. However only he and the interim director of his company Willy Selten BV were arrested and prosecuted. 21 further people were arrested in the south of France as recently as last month after consignments of horsemeat were seized but at the time of writing, no prosecutions have been publicly made.

Should you care?

First and foremost, it has been highlighted by several senior supermarket managers that the ingredient of horsemeat is not harmful to health and many countries across the globe actually eat it. However it is considered as a ‘taboo food’ in both Ireland and the UK.

In the aftermath of the scandal developing, some people were interviewed and were panicking that they were going to be seriously ill. To date, there has been no proven case of anyone dying after eating traces of horsemeat and as a consequence, the whole story was blown totally out of proportion.

One thing that the British public seems to do a lot is panic. It happens all the time if there is a strike looming such as the petrol strike of 2000 or the devastating foot and mouth crisis a year later which almost brought the farming and agricultural sectors to its knees. A small amount of snow also leaves a high proportion in a tailspin. There was a huge influence of media consumed news and too many inaccurate opinions given in the days afterwards.

The horsemeat scandal was not good for us to hear about and it was frankly appalling but it wasn’t going to turn everyday lives upside down. All it meant was perhaps taking more caution in what we digest as human beings. I know for a fact that I don’t normally check ingredients contained in meals and that hasn’t changed (although I have very limited cooking skills). Those who of course have supplements to stick to or are perhaps restricted to what they eat due to gluten-free diets or lactose-free diets should have been more concerned. It was this kind of thing that might mean you don’t totally trust a packet that says ‘this has no traces of wheat’ but it might actually have ‘wheat powder’ contained. This could make an individual very ill and that is gross misconduct, no matter what way you look at it.

What it did show was the levels in trust between consumer and supermarket and consumer to food chain were severely hit and possibly beyond repair. It was okay if you weren’t directly affected like me but what if your favourite meal was Findus Beef Lasagne when actually you were eating Findus Horse Lasagne. Poor packaging, a lack of truth and appalling misinformation turned what could have been something relatively minor into the biggest crisis in this country’s food production since British beef exports were banned by many EU partners in 1996.

I think you should care about what happened because it was quite disturbing, whether affected or not. Even if you don’t want the full details, the majority of people should have the basic ingredients knowledge of what they are eating on a regular basis. Put it this way, you’d be extremely unhappy if the chicken burger or spaghetti ready meal you were eating was actually a horse burger or a Cow Bolognese!

Did supermarkets react quickly enough?

Supermarkets were caught right in the middle by what was happening. In some cases, they were being directly blamed but unless the product was actually from their own various ranges, it is difficult to accuse them of causing the horsemeat scandal. The food is processed in the various food plants across Europe and is probably packaged too before it arrives in the supermarkets up and down the British Isles. The only thing you could blame them for is whether they reacted quickly enough to the horsemeat scandal.

As soon as food, especially the beef products mentioned was being tested and there was confirmation of traces of DNA of horsemeat, the likes of Aldi and Tesco were extremely quick in pulling the affected meals out of supermarkets. It could be seen as a precautionary measure but then again, it won’t have been good if they didn’t do anything. Other supermarkets and I won’t mention any names here were much slower in reacting and by the time they had, it was too late in comparison to their rivals.

The majority of our big supermarket chains were affected in some form as products disappeared. What it did suggest was that the lack of trust and knowledge should be aimed more in an argument between food production versus consumer rather than food seller versus consumer.

The top hierarchy at these stores should have had better knowledge but it isn’t their fault. Some areas of the media went for these guys and that was slightly unfair. The supermarkets did what they could in a very tricky and difficult situation for everyone. 

Still in these particular crisis stories, this is when social media can be at its best or even its worse and Twitter was the best place to find out what people were thinking. Below are three examples. Take your pick to decide what you thought was humorous or below the belt;

Its_Death Steve Death

Findus lasagne contains horse meat. I'd check the spaghetti bologneighs as well.  

StephenMorley Stephen Morley

Food scandal for vegetarians: radish found to be up to 100% horseradish  

GraemeGarden1 Graeme Garden

What's the fuss? For years we've been told that Ready Meals contain too much Salt and Shergar. #findus  

What lessons have been learned?

A year on, have lessons been learned from the fallout? That is open to debate. I feel that the supermarkets have moved on and it sounds like their Christmas sales showed marked improvements apart from Morrisons. The food production chains at those affected such as Findus might not ever recover from these setbacks. It will be a scar that will be with them at least in psychological form for a very long time.

For the consumer, it probably means we take a bit more time in supermarkets buying our products in the weekly shop or via online if the hustle bustle of the crowds is too much. Trust was broken, damage done but not something that can’t ever been fixed.

The horsemeat scandal of 2013 was a horrible story to hear about and a distasteful episode for the food industry. With the lack of prosecutions and the way the story disappeared from the newspapers, websites and bulletins after the end of February last year, it is difficult to say much if lessons have been learned. Hopefully, it will lead to more care and dedication taken to ensure that things like this do not and will not happen again. The people accused of the ‘criminal activity’ have to take the responsibility for their actions. It was bad but thankfully, didn't cause any deaths.

Categories: Aldi, ASDA, David Cameron, DNA, Dutch, Europe, Findus, Horsemeat, Lasagne, Tesco, UK

Adapting to change and being yourself

By Simon Wright

It is a question that we have to deal with, dealing with change and sticking to your principals. However, how much do you need to change and do you need to make any compromises to fit into new surroundings, new environments and building new friendships. 

That is something I am about to express.

Character traits

As time develops, instincts get stronger and as people, we all quickly realise our strengths and weaknesses.  These can range from a type of food that has been sampled but the taste is disgusting to a personality trait that we simply can’t change.

There have been times where you get into difficult situations and you get trapped into a corner full of remorse, regret and hatred of your own characterisation.

Of course there are aspects that do change, from young age, through the often difficult teenage development and into the prime of our adulthoods.

Again that could be on a variation of levels.  It could be through a happy relationship, changing job roles on a constant basis, or falling to the often bad habit of peer pressure.

Take me as an example.  There are some character traits that I have picked up over recent years.  I would say that since 2007-2008, I am a more relaxed person, a more caring individual and I think more about others than what I ever did in my days in secondary school or before that.

This is called ‘growing up,’ an element where some of us just don’t want to do, or can’t do for whatever reason but is a part of the evolution of life.

Some things will never change, even if you want to try and change for the better.  In my case I’ve always been competitive and don’t enjoy losing at anything, whether that is in a debate or even at a computer game.  I also have a strong opinion on many features of life, but will accept and listen to both sides of the argument.  Another aspect is taking things personally and over-thinking elements of life.

It is a battle that I’ve often tried to take on and found difficult to adapt to.  However I am getting better at these aspects.  I take constructive criticism far better than I even did 12 or 24 months ago.  Admittedly though, over-thinking is probably a character trait that is part of me, and is something that just can’t be eradicated. 

Be yourself - it is far better than developing fake personalities

What I do know is I've never tried to hide anything about my personality.  I am who I am, and have found the right balance in adapting and being yourself (pictured).

Sympathy and greed

I don’t like politics that much, and when I’ve even tried to listen to policies on the news, it is difficult to pay much attention to particularly when you think of some of the current senior figures in government roles.

This is where I do feel some sympathy for our prime minister.  David Cameron has his allies, and his non-supporters who will simply disagree with everything he says, but his personality traits don’t change just because he is the occupant of the most important role in British politics.

In debates and whenever a new policy is voted or considered, Cameron simply can’t win.  He will get attacked by the leader of the opposition, will face fierce fire from some of his own backbenchers and there is then also the various groups in society and of course the inevitable media divide.  He is trying to do the best for our country, and if he just sticks to being himself and not hide behind a shell, then he will still have his strengths in politics. 

Cameron can’t help the background he came into before becoming the main man for the Conservatives after the 2005 General Election.  Sure he has made mistakes but then who hasn’t.  And it is worse if he tried to be a fake person.

This is something I simply can’t stand and despite my passion for the game, Premier League footballers fit into this equation.  The modern day professional gets stereotyped as a greedy, manipulative individual because of the simply ridiculous pay packets they get from their clubs.  You have to be good enough to make the grade, but the perks have now gone into the realms of fantasy.

You do get your good guys in football, just like in any other form of life.  The recently retired Paul Scholes and Jamie Carragher were tremendous role models for kids, as you rarely saw them get into any antics off-the-field that put their reputations in jeopardy.  Others like former England skipper John Terry are not a good role model for the youth of today’s generation.

Another player who it is difficult to find too much sympathy for is Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney.  The England international is reportedly unhappy at Old Trafford once again, and news organisations have seen it to be so important they class it as ‘news.’  It isn’t news, when was Rooney last happy?  Unless he scores an important goal, Rooney is just about as likely as comedian Jack Dee to have a smile on their face.

Plus when you earn the money like he does, he should think about his situation.  Imagine what it is like for the everyday person, even those who work really hard to try and find a job, but constantly get frustrated by rejected applications.  Personally I've always believed Rooney is one of football’s most over-rated players of recent times.  He has produced moments of quality, but to earn the money he does per week for only occasional flashes of brilliance boggles the mind.  

Rooney is the best example I can think of being a fake individual.  He kicks a football, looks like a miserable person most of the time and is somehow idolised by kids all over the land.  That I think is slightly concerning.  It is people like him which put some off following football and rightly so.  My love of the game won’t change, but I would rather praise and respect our brave soldiers sacrificing their lives for our country than worship a Premier League footballer earning more than £200,000 a week!

Be ready to adapt, but don’t change completely

In my circumstances, I have entered many new environments and phases.  This Tuesday is the fourth anniversary of the most traumatic experience of my life.  On the way home from a night out in my hometown in July 2009, I was attacked by a gang of youths.

My injuries were fortunately light to what it could have been.  On another instance and another night, I could easily have been another statistic.  Though the scars have mentally healed, some of the psychological parts of this will never go away because it is not something you can easily forget.

I had to make changes to myself after this, and while it is no good to sit depressed in a corner and watch the world go by, I had to adapt to not taking so many risks.  I developed a cautious approach to many elements of my life, and it is one thing I’m glad I’ve done.  Sometimes it might not be the right way to approach things, but it is a safer and easier way to for me to live my life.

The one main lesson I took from that night was to understand that every second of my life is precious now and not to take everything for granted.  Sure the extra aspects such as fast cars, a load of cash, and all the flashiest jewellery that can be bought are lovely accessories to have, but I’d trade all of that in when it comes between choosing between security and fortune. 

I’m happy as long as I have a roof over my head, clothes to wear, food to eat, support from friends and family and some form of daily income.  With my recent new position having started last week, I can say all of these boxes are safely ticked.  Some of us are not so lucky, especially in far lesser developed countries in the world.

When it comes to personality and characterisation of yourself, I believe you must be prepared to adapt in certain situations.  However don’t lose all of the principles that make you the person you really are.  Happiness is more important than progressing up the career ladder, but feeling sad and sorry along the way.

There is no need to change as a person completely.  Having a fake personality will win no friends.  Just be strong in difficult situations, and be yourself.  Have a flexible approach but stick to the majority of your own principles in life.

Categories: Competitive, David Cameron, Environment, Fake, Friendship, Jack Dee, Premier League, Prime Minister, Relationships, Strength

Hillsborough - A harrowing week

The flowers and tributes are a regular at the memorial at Anfield

For Liverpool fans across the globe, this week has been harrowing and difficult at best.

The support of the fans united the players against tonight, as they battled to a 1-1 draw away at Sunderland.

Although it leaves the Reds still without a win in four Premier League matches, the result was more than just a football match. 

It was for the families who this week may have had the truth but have had to deal with many emotions within the biggest injustice in sporting history.

Difficult pieces to write

As a Liverpool fan myself, I’ve had to report on the Hillsborough story with two pieces for Total Football Magazine.

I can honestly say that both pieces were very difficult to write, possibly the hardest ever in my days as either an amateur blogger, student journalist or in the unpaid writer/editor position that I have today.

On Wednesday night, I sat down to read the report findings of the Hillsborough panel and it was heartbreaking to read.  I won’t lie to say that it brought some tears to me too as I struggled to digest some of the damming revelations.

Britain’s biggest cover up was finally blown out into the public eye – and the truth that the families and the football club have always believed has come out.

In case some people wonder what I mean, I will give some background into why Hillsborough has been talked about so much this week.

On a sunny, spring afternoon on 15 April 1989, Liverpool supporters flocked to Sheffield, anticipating a feisty but hopefully successful victory in an FA Cup semi-final with Nottingham Forest.

Blunders of the first magnitude

Due to ‘blunders of the first magnitude’ (see Lord Justice Taylor’s report) from senior police members, a terrible crush occurred in the Leppings Lane end of the Hillsborough terraces.

96 supporters were killed and many others were injured on the terraces.

For 23 years, Liverpool fans and more importantly, the families of the bereaved have been campaigning for justice with little reward.

Although Lord Justice Taylor’s report later that year blamed police control, the cover-up that followed was absolutely extraordinary.

First, South Yorkshire Police attempted to blame the victims for their horrendous mismanagement. 

Over 250 statements from police on duty that day were either deleted or altered, as the panel revealed in their findings on Wednesday.

No remorse

For them to have done this shows they had no remorse.  They took the coward’s way out and those responsible deserve criminal prosecution. 

While I’m not one to single out members, the role that chief superintendent David Duckenfield had on the day plays a part.

He ordered the gate to be opened to relieve the pressure on the turnstiles which was a shocking and dithering piece of thinking that led to tragic and horrendous consequences.

Next to be questioned is the FA’s role.  This week, it was revealed that the Hillsborough ground did not have the updated safety certificate at the time.  Why on earth did they play the semi-final there?

There had been crowd trouble at the previous semis in 1987 and 1988 and at the time, there would have been better neutral stadiums to play the match.

Sheffield Wednesday don’t come out of anything with shine either.  They badly mismanaged their own ground and denied that there had been crowd problems in previous matches.

The FA’s apology this week fell on deaf ears.  They didn’t make any reaction until 24 hours after the report was published this week which was very disappointing and in their initial statement, there was no apology.

The first inquest was flawed

It might be better run today but in the name of David Bernstein (current chairman), I order him to resign. 

Our governing body had shamed Liverpool in 1989 and still were doing so 72 hours ago.

Next, the coroner of the initial inquest who put in a cut-off point of 3.15pm, which made the first inquest flawed.

This week, it was revealed that 41 people could have been saved, as they were still alive from the initial crush, meaning well after 3.15pm.  The match was stopped at 3.06pm on 15 April 1989.

For Dr Stefan Popper to have put that in place first time round, it meant the families were always fighting a losing and unfair battle.

His judgement has to be questioned but from the media background I come from, Kelvin MacKenzie makes me laugh.

This week, he finally apologised for the scandalous story ‘THE TRUTH’ which ran in the Sun newspaper four days after the disaster.

Lies and outrage

In fact, what they published that day was complete and utter lies – with stories such as survivors robbing the dead and urinating on police officers. 

MacKenzie claimed that he had got the report from senior police members, a Tory MP and a reputable Sheffield news agency.

The story should never had run and just added to the grief and outrage everyone felt at the time.

Many newsagents on Merseyside never sold the Sun anymore.  

As a fan of the club, I have never brought a copy of the Sun and even feel disappointed when my brother or friends read it.

That paper has never had anything good about it.  Most of their ‘stories’ are garbage.  As for MacKenzie, he can stick his apology. 

As Trevor Hicks, who lost daughters Sarah and Victoria in the carnage of Hillsborough said on Wednesday; “He’s a lowlife.  A clever lowlife but a lowlife.’  MacKenzie is scum; it is as simple as that.

Special thanks

I was pleased to see David Cameron make a double apology in the House of Commons on Wednesday. 

He admitted the mistakes made and there have been no blockages from the coalition about the releasing of the 450,000 official documents.

The government in 1989 might have had a role in the cover-up but it is difficult to say how big Margaret Thatcher’s role in it was. 

I don’t want to judge it but their apology is one that most would accept with gratitude.

While this piece has been mainly about the blame game, there should be special thanks that go out to a few people.

Firstly, the panel that had a lot of work to do and it must have been tough to look through all the documents.  Their hard work means the families finally have the truth.

Kenny Dalglish deserves a lot of credit for his support and desire to be there for the families.  He has always campaigned on their behalf and will not give up no matter what.

Also, all the football clubs down the land that have shown their support. 

Sunderland fans were great tonight, Everton have always been there for Liverpool since those events in 1989 and even Manchester United supporters have shown their sorrow and sadness.  It is these occasions when football really doesn’t matter.

The families will continue to fight on

Lastly, the families of the 96 who have campaigned for justice and will not stop until they have justice.  

They handled everything on Wednesday with so much dignity on what must have been a distressing and emotional day.

They always believed the truth would come out and now it has – although obviously, 23 years is far too long.

So, now begins the true fight for justice.  Surely, a new inquest will happen and the verdict changed to ‘unlawful killing.’ 

Hopefully, some of those responsible will also be criminally convicted for not just the worst disaster in British sport but one of the biggest injustices in British history.

I’m part of the Justice for the 96 campaign on Facebook and as a group, perhaps even as a nation, the pressure will be on for heads to roll, the guilty to be done and for the dead to finally be able to rest in peace with truth and justice revealed.

Sometimes…the game of football means absolutely nothing, especially when an appalling human tragedy happens.

JUSTICE FOR THE 96, JUSTICE FOR THE 96!!  You’ll Never Walk Alone!

Categories: April, Britain, David Cameron, FA Cup, Fans, Football, Hillsborough, Journalism, Liverpool, Sheffield