06 August 2010, 17:35 PM
  • Almost three quarters of consumers would refuse to eat meat from a cloned animal, while 24% would avoid a store that sold the contentious produce

A recent poll by discount website myvouchercodes.co.uk has found that 73% of people would not eat the meat of a cloned cow, while 57% claimed that they would not drink a cloned animal’s milk.

The survey comes following the revelation last week that both the milk and meat of cloned cows has been found on sale in the UK. According to recent reports, two bulls – produced using the embryos of a cow cloned in the US – were bought by a farm near Nairn in the Highlands. Meat from one animal was sold to consumers at some point in 2009.

Since the revelation the Food Standards Agency has faced mounting criticism over its handling of the ongoing crisis. “The news that both milk and meat from cloned cows has found its way into the UK food chain has caused quite a disturbance amongst the British public. What we uncovered was, understandably, a hostility amongst the majority towards actually consuming this produce – most notably due to the lack of knowledge surrounding its safety,” said Mark Pearson, managing director of MyVoucherCodes.co.uk.

The survey also revealed that 81% of people expect stores to clearly label whether or not items are of cloned origin. “I think a great deal of the hostility also comes from the fact that the public weren’t made aware of the cloned produce before it made its way into the mainstream food industry. Should supermarkets ever decide to stock it, I strongly believe that a crystal clear labelling policy would need to be introduced, so that consumers are able to make an informed decision based on personal preferences,” added Mr Pearson.