EU Directive 1760/2000 requires meat packers and retailers to publish key details - from birth and growth to slaughter and processing - on every pack of beef sold. Its aim is to help restore consumer confidence in beef and so increase consumption.
Under the Directive, all packs of ‘bovine meat’ sold must be referenced with:
- the reference number of the carcass or group of animals.
- the country of slaughter and Approval number of the slaughter house.
- the country of cutting and de-boning and Approval number of the cutting hall.
- the country of birth.
- the country of fattening.
The rules affect all packing of bovine meat whereby:
- If the pack is prepared in the presence of the customer (i.e. counter service), retailers must clearly show a link between the item being served and its full carcass details.
- If the pack is prepared when the customer is not present (i.e. pre-pack), this information must be attached to the pack itself, e.g. on a label.
Retailers must also maintain an information system linking the animals or products they buy to the animals or products they sell.
All our solutions can use the EAN 128 standard bar code to read and record the necessary information, eliminating the time and errors associated with manual entry. Operators simply have to scan the bar code on the supplier’s label and the full batch details can be printed out automatically onto the pack label or customer receipt. Detailed information for your traceability system is also stored automatically.
For the Retailer
Our IM, M, MP, WA and WS system scales are fully prepared for compulsory and non-compulsory labelling requirements. They can be used for both counter service and pre-pack labelling and provide nine options for entering and selecting bovine data for practical traceability.
All the necessary details can be printed onto labels or customer receipts, while a detailed audit trail of the last 100 carcasses shows the total weight, number of packs and last pack date. M and IM series scales can also incorporate electronic cash register functionality, combining integrated weighing and scanning with comprehensive cash control.
Our MX software ensures that any traceability transactions can be collected and archived for reporting at a later date.
Not only will our bovine traceability solutions ensure you comply with legal requirements, they can also give you the tools to increase consumer confidence and generate more sales.