Sun admits mistake on ‘EU banned dozen eggs’


by Sunny Hundal    
September 3, 2010 at 3:59 pm

The Press Complaints Commission today published this judgement regarding the Sun newspaper.

Ray Merrell complained to the Press Complaints Commission that the newspaper had published an article about the European Union’s plans to sell all food by weight which was misleadingly headlined “Euro ban on eggs by dozen”.

The complainant pointed out that it was not the case that British shoppers would no longer be able to by a box of six eggs or a dozen rolls: merely that the items will be priced by weight. He was concerned that the article – which appeared on page ten of the newspaper and online – represented an attempt to stir up anti-EU feeling among readers.

The Sun was then forced to publish this today:

Eggs by a dozen are safe
Brussels has vowed it has no plans to ban Brits buying eggs by the dozen. Controversy erupted in July following reports that the EU wanted food to be only sold by weight. Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman pledged to fight the plans. And the Food Standards Authority watchdog also voiced concern.

But the European Parliament has insisted it never intended to stop people buying eggs or bread rolls by the dozen. A spokesman said: “Selling eggs by the dozen will not be illegal under the terms of the amendments adopted by the European Parliament to EU food labelling proposals. “Labels will still be able to indicate the number of food items in a pack, whether of eggs, bread rolls or fish fingers.”

The above appeared on page four of the newspaper.

hat-tip Minority Thought blog


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About the author
Sunny Hundal is editor of LC. Also: on Twitter, at Pickled Politics and Guardian CIF.
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Reader comments


1. Chaise Guevara

Not much of a mea culpa, is it? I think retractions like this should have to be preface with the words “WE LIED:”

haha Me too or the very least

Controversy erupted in July following reports BY US that the EU wanted food to be only sold by weight. Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman pledged to fight the plans.

Can they apologise for comparing Cameron to Obama now please?

4. Cynical/Realist?

I love the way in cases like this they always refer to – ‘Controversy erupted in July following reports that the EU wanted food to be only sold by weight.’

Yeah, buy ‘following reports’ you mean ‘after we bullshitted’!

Its like when one camera crew is outside some poor victims house saying, ‘well here we are reporting on the media circus surround Schmuck X’. YOU ARE THE BLOODY MEDIA CIRCUS!

On another note they did the same when the EU allowed bread manufactures to sell half loafs [sic?!] – or indeed any sized loafs. It was all ‘The Great British Loaf Under Attack’. All it was was the EU stopping manufacturers forcing you to buy a full loaf if you only need a few slices. And the oafs (with their loafs) in the voxpops were brilliant – ‘who is this EU to say I can’t be ripped of like I always have been fer me bred?’

Top.

5. Chaise Guevara

“It was all ‘The Great British Loaf Under Attack’.”

I’d forgotten that bread was quintessentially British, but of course it was invented by Warburton’s. Glad the Sun’s around to set me straight.

Given that Iain Dale said this…

“I dont think a single commenter so far has read the enire Grocer article.

It says it all that one of them would prefer to helieve Sunny effing Hundal rather than the editor of the sector’s leading trade mag.”

http://iaindale.blogspot.com/2010/07/eggs-nothing-to-apologise-for.html

…are you going to ask for an apology and retraction, Sunny?


Reactions: Twitter, blogs
  1. Liberal Conspiracy

    The Sun admits mistake on 'EU banned dozen eggs' http://bit.ly/cDbxqR

  2. Andrew Burgess

    Oh. My. Word. RT @libcon The Sun admits mistake on 'EU banned dozen eggs' http://bit.ly/cDbxqR

  3. J Clive Matthews

    Crikey – proper retraction and all! Is this a first? RT @libcon: The Sun admits mistake on 'EU banned dozen eggs' http://bit.ly/cDbxqR

  4. greg H

    RT @Nosemonkey: Crikey – proper retraction and all! Is this a first? RT @libcon: The Sun admits mistake on 'EU banned dozen eggs' http://bit.ly/cDbxqR

  5. Philip Cane

    RT @libcon: The Sun admits mistake on 'EU banned dozen eggs' http://bit.ly/cDbxqR

  6. Yokel Bear (Mark)

    RT @libcon: The Sun admits mistake on 'EU banned dozen eggs' http://bit.ly/cDbxqR

  7. kevinrye

    RT @libcon: The Sun admits mistake on 'EU banned dozen eggs' http://bit.ly/cDbxqR

  8. Anthony Zacharzewski

    RT @Nosemonkey: Crikey – proper retraction and all! Is this a first? RT @libcon: The Sun admits mistake on 'EU banned dozen eggs' http://bit.ly/cDbxqR

  9. loveandgarbage

    Has @iaindale seen the latest on the egg front? http://bit.ly/9ElNg0

  10. Rob

    RT @libcon: The Sun admits mistake on 'EU banned dozen eggs' http://bit.ly/cDbxqR // Wow!

  11. Minority Thought

    RT @libcon: The Sun admits mistake on 'EU banned dozen eggs' http://bit.ly/cDbxqR

  12. Jackie

    RT @libcon The Sun admits mistake on 'EU banned dozen eggs' http://bit.ly/cDbxqR <– Or outright, deliberate lie to whip-up hatred.





  • We have a tight comments policy aimed at fostering constructive debate.
  • We believe in free speech but not your right to abuse our space.
  • Abusive, sarcastic or silly comments may be deleted.
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  • Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy.

 
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