Honey fraud: what to know as UK honey fails authenticity tests

Your pot of honey may have been bulked out with cheap sugar syrup, an investigation has claimed.

An investigation by the European Commission tested 320 honey samples from 18 countries and found almost 50% were fraudulent.

All 10 samples from the UK failed authenticity testing. This means they contained other (unpermitted) ingredients, such as food additives, colourings or sugar syrups.

This represents a steep rise in suspicious samples since testing was previously carried out by the Commission in 2015-17, where 14% of samples were considered potentially fraudulent.

By law, honey can't have anything added to it, have pollen removed or been treated in a way that changes its acidity levels or damages the natural enzymes. But it's a prime target for fraudsters, due to the potential profits involved, and this isn't the first time the alarm has been raised.

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Why honey fraud is big business

Real honey is pricey, so bulking it out with cheaper alternatives such as water or sugar syrups made from rice, wheat or sugar beet, is an appealing proposition for fraudsters, and one that's lower risk than other organised crime. 

If honey comes from a single country of origin this is labelled on the packaging, but for blended products, which contain honey from more than one country, origin labelling is not required. Most cheaper supermarket honeys are blended products. 

The UK imports 38,000 tonnes of honey from China, where the adulteration of honey is a known risk.

Cheap jars and premium pots

A jar of supermarket honey can vary in cost from 75p to £8.

Cheaper honey is usually a blend from several countries, often described as a 'blend of non-EU honey', while pricier honeys might be a specific blossom or nectar, such as Acacia, and will be from a single origin country or region.

Manuka honey is especially susceptible to fraud, due to its premium price and narrow geographical origin. It comes from the nectar of the manuka bush flower, which only grows in New Zealand, and it's known for its antibacterial properties and associated perceived health benefits.

A 250g jar of manuka can sell for around £20, but some can cost as much as £60.

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Who is harmed by honey fraud?

Fraudulent honey misleads consumers and disadvantages honest honey producers. It can be difficult to prove definitively or test at scale, due to disputes over the conclusiveness of tests and increasingly sophisticated forms of fraud. There's no single test that can determine a honey's authenticity.

It's not known where the samples in the EU study were bought or where the honey originated from, but Devina Sankhla, food policy adviser at the British Retail Consortium, which represents the major supermarkets, told us: 

'Our members work with suppliers to ensure the authenticity of their honey, conducting regular checks to ensure all honey they sell is as described. Retailers support the ongoing improvement and harmonisation of techniques to advance the detection of adulterated honey.'

A Defra spokesperson said: 

'The UK government takes any type of food fraud very seriously - including honey adulteration. There is no place for adulterated honey, which undermines consumer confidence and disadvantages responsible businesses acting within the law.

'We work closely with enforcement authorities to ensure honey sold in the UK is not subject to adulteration, meets our high standards - and maintains a level playing field between honey producers.'

How to minimise the risk of buying fake honey

If you're buying standard honey, look for products that come from a single country of origin, which will be stated on the packaging. This should mean it's less likely to be adulterated with sugar syrup.

Single-origin honey is typically more expensive than blended honey. For example, Rowse Squeezy Clear Honey, which is labelled as a blend of non-EU honeys, is £2 for 340g (58p per 100g). Rowse British Oxfordshire Wildflower runny honey is more than three times the price at £4.50 for a smaller 225g pack (£2 per 100g - although currently on offer for £3.60 at Waitrose, making it £1.60 per 100g)

For manuka honey, look for a UMF™ certification on packaging. This tells you the manufacturer is licensed with the Unique Manuka Factor Honey Association and compliant with its quality standards and with the New Zealand government's regulations and standards. 

It also shows the product was grown, produced and packaged in New Zealand.

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Other foods commonly affected by fraud

Other foods that are susceptible to fraud include olive oil, meat, seafood, Basmati rice, coffee, tea, fruit juice, saffron, and other herbs and spices. 

Any foods that are of high value are vulnerable, and it's often the case that food fraud rises in tough economic climates, as people try to cut costs and increase profits.

Earlier this month it was revealed that Booths supermarket had to remove packaged beef slices and deli items from their shelves, as they had been labelled as British beef (by the supplier) but were actually from South America and Europe.

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