Half of butchers’ pork and bacon was imported

Rashers may sound quintessentially Irish, but a survey has found that half the bacon and pork tested in butchers’ shops was imported.

That is despite the fact most of the shops surveyed were signed up to a voluntary code committing them to sourcing their products locally.

The Irish Farmers Association put 120 samples of back rashers, bacon joints, and pork chops from 11 butchers around the country through DNA testing to check origin.