Imports of a luxury French food, made by force-feeding ducks or geese may be banned from being to the UK after Brexit, a UK government minister has hinted.
British farmers are prohibited from producing foie gras – meaning fatty liver – on the basis of cruelty to animals.
But restaurants and shops are permitted to import the pate-like substance under EU free-market rules. Environment Minister George Eustice told MPs that might change when Britain left the EU, in March next year.
He was responding to a call from Conservative Henry Smith, who told MPs foie gras was “cruel to produce, unhealthy to eat and it’s expensive to purchase” and it was time to ban “this outdated practice”.