Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 211: To ask the Minister for Agriculture; Fisheries and Food the extent if any to which multinational retail outlets find it convenient to source their food products in this jurisdiction or outside; if he has received communications from the farming organisations in this regard; his proposal, if any, to deal with any issues arising; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17918/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The purchasing arrangements of retailers are a commercial matter under the competition rules operating in the Single Market.

My colleague the Minister for Health and Children has overall responsibility for food labelling legislation. Under the EU labelling Directive 2000/13/EC the origin of foodstuffs circulating in the EU is required to be declared only if its absence might mislead the consumer to a material degree. As products traded within the Community are not generally required to indicate origin on their packaging, figures as requested by the Deputy are not available.