SIR - Your readers may not realise it but we are now buying a massive 1.6 million tonnes of foreign meat a year. Furthermore, they probably don't realise that all of this can be passed off as British.

It may safely be assumed that not all foreign meat has to be produced to the same high standards that this country's farmers adhere to, and yet a staggering 1.1 million tonnes of foreign pork, beef and lamb was imported to the UK in 2006 - twice as much as 10 years ago. Not to mention the 560,000 tonnes of poultry imported last year.

Our own UK farmers are struggling but a loophole in the law allows foreign meat to be branded British. Food can be labelled as produced in whichever country it was processed last. Processing can simply be smoking bacon or curing ham.

Having these confusing food labels means those of us who are keen to buy British produce are unwittingly buying foreign meat.

As well as not identifying the true country of origin of produce, many more products are using halal meat and its products.

This is extremely widespread and is used by most food companies over here. The consumer has no idea for the main part whether the product they are buying contains halal meat or halal product. Many of us are nauseated by the method used to kill animals for halal meat and yet are not told.

All food should be clearly marked with the country of origin as well as whether it was prepared using halal meat or its derivatives. Not only on the products themselves but on restaurant menus as well. Readers should look at the Country Land and Business Association's Just Ask campaign, which wants people to find out where the food on their plate comes from, for more information.

European Union regulations mean the Government cannot take action alone, but surely our ministers should be putting pressure on the EU to force all countries to declare clearly where their meat is from and whether it contains halal.

Nick Chance, Severn Stoke.