Chinese blended honey

[Dadnlad]

Is it legal to sell honey labelled as 'Chinese blended' in the UK ?

Yesterday I popped into a local garden centre I supply, and next to my local stuff were jars that specifically stated this on the rear label

I thought all Chinese imports had been banned

 

[Popparand]

Chinese imports to the USA are banned because of contamination with heavy metal pollutants, noxious antibiotics and sugar adulteration. Import into EU was lifted in 2004 (?) because of commercial pressure.

A lot of blended supermarket honey is labelled "Product of EU and non EU countries". Yes really!

We sell to a local wildlife trust. They booted out imported honey when we started to supply. Why on earth would a garden centre want to sell honey labelled "Made in China"? Might just as well label it "This jar contans Chinese sh*t".

 

[ericbeaumont]

I have a honey bucket once used by that olde Englishe honey company Rowse Ltd; the label reads Produce of China. Shocked a few customers of mine in the past; I keep it to demo the bigger picture.

 

[maz0]

It's nice when you inform people and see them change behaviour. Colleague has a typical tesco bought honey on his desk for his porridge in the morning. I got chatting with him, explained the background of the EU & Non-EU blends and how he can find apiary specific jars locally which are far purer. He was really interested, went home and researched it, educated his missus and now they only buy the local stuff. He was mostly blown away by the taste difference though.

 

[BMH]

It's nice when you inform people and see them change behaviour. Colleague has a typical tesco bought honey on his desk for his porridge in the morning. I got chatting with him, explained the background of the EU & Non-EU blends and how he can find apiary specific jars locally which are far purer. He was really interested, went home and researched it, educated his missus and now they only buy the local stuff. He was mostly blown away by the taste difference though.

That's it! Education is the key. Once people taste REAL honey, the shop bought blends just taste like sugar syrup

 

[Ian123]

I have a honey bucket once used by that olde Englishe honey company Rowse Ltd; the label reads Produce of China. Shocked a few customers of mine in the past; I keep it to demo the bigger picture.

Why would that shock people. They are also honey packers.

 

[thorn]

If the person in front of me in the supermarket queue has a jar of blended honey I'll always strike up a conversation about local honey and now much better it tastes. It's usually too late to get them to put the muck back on the shelf, but hopefully, next time they'll think about what they're buying.

 

[Erichalfbee]

If the person in front of me in the supermarket queue has a jar of blended honey I'll always strike up a conversation about local honey and now much better it tastes. It's usually too late to get them to put the muck back on the shelf, but hopefully, next time they'll think about what they're buying.

You need to have a pocketful of tiny sample jars

 

[madasafish]

You need to have a pocketful of tiny sample jars

Would YOU accept a sample jar from a stranger in a queue?

I would think several times before accpting.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Would YOU accept a sample jar from a stranger in a queue?

I would think several times before accpting.

Of course not
Maybe a business card is a better option

 

[maddydog]

If the person in front of me in the supermarket queue has a jar of blended honey I'll always strike up a conversation about local honey and now much better it tastes. It's usually too late to get them to put the muck back on the shelf, but hopefully, next time they'll think about what they're buying.

That's if they can even find honey on the shelf that is local or even from the country they live in! Looking around my giant local Tesco yesterday there must have been 40+ types yet only one was English.

 

[mike99]

That's if they can even find honey on the shelf that is local or even from the country they live in! Looking around my giant local Tesco yesterday there must have been 40+ types yet only one was English.

I bet it was the most expensive honey apart from the Manuka?

 

[charlievictorbravo]

If it's a good story, you're allowed to exaggerate

Don't know how true this is but I heard that some years ago the Americans were really pleased because they did a big deal with the Chinese to sell them many tons of midwest corn syrup.

Little did the Americans know but they had most of it returned to them in the coming years in the form of adulterated honey.

True or false?

CVB

 

[charlievictorbravo]

I bet it was the most expensive honey apart from the Manuka?

If you want to buy good quality horse feed, you have to pay the right price. If you wait until it's been through a horse once, it is a bit cheaper!

CVB

 

[maz0]

Don't know how true this is but I heard that some years ago the Americans were really pleased because they did a big deal with the Chinese to sell them many tons of midwest corn syrup.

Little did the Americans know but they had most of it returned to them in the coming years in the form of adulterated honey.

True or false?

CVB

Can't say for certain but the whole America/China ordeal is covered in the Netflix series Rotten, episode 1. Crazy amount of international conspiracy and fraud going on. Chinese exports should be banned until their government clamps down on their honey producers, they just cant be trusted. Spiked with all sorts of crap.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Spiked with all sorts of crap.

For which DNA tests have had to be developed and even then they can't keep up with the constant changes. Rice syrup wasn't it?

 

[beeno]

Noticed that Tesco own brand non-EU soft set honey has been certified by the soil association according to the label. Does that make it organic honey I wonder?

 

[For want of a better word]

Noticed that Tesco own brand non-EU soft set honey has been certified by the soil association according to the label. Does that make it organic honey I wonder?

Probably the soil association honey testing team had a jolly to Wompopistan to check it out!!!

 

[thorn]

Even the honey sold in the RHS shop at Harlow Carr is a blend from the EU and other countries, despite its cottage name and label. Perhaps that, and the shops at the other RHS gardens should be the first place for us to concentrate our fire on.

 

[Anthony Appleyard]

I at last know what honey tastes like properly, rather than after pasteurization (or whatever it is called) has driven off all the flower-derived natural scent. My local park has a place that keeps 2 beehives and sells their surplus honey.