Chicken in catering sector 90% sourced from outside Ireland

Chicken meat used in the Irish catering industry is 90% sourced from outside the island of Ireland and the EU, according to safefood — the promotional body responsible for food safety and healthy eating.

“Consumers told us they associate country of origin with food safety and choose locally-produced chicken as they perceive it to be ‘safer’ than imported varieties.

“However this choice cannot be made by consumers eating chicken outside the home as there is still no requirement on caterers to label the source of their chicken,” said Dr Aileen McGloin, the body’s scientific support manager .