- Title: RUSSIA: IKEA halts sales of sausages in Russia after finding traces of horsemeat
- Date: 7th March 2013
- Summary: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (MARCH 7, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF EXTERIORS OF IKEA STORE PEOPLE INSIDE IKEA STORE WOMAN ATTEMPTING TO BUY FOOD AT STORE MENU AT STORE WITH SAUSAGE OPTION BLACKED OUT PEOPLE NEAR FOOD COUNTER PEOPLE TALKING TO IKEA RUSSIA HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS MARIA TIKHONOVA WOMAN PURCHASING ICE CREAM CONE (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) IKEA RUSSIA HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS MARIA TIKHONOVA, SAYING: "Today IKEA received results from a DNA analysis of meatballs and sausages. The laboratory confirmed a complete lack of horsemeat in meatballs, however there were traces of horsemeat discovered in sausages which are produced by a different supplier, the company TF-Remit." WORKERS BEHIND FOOD COUNTER SIGN READING 'THE SALE OF SAUSAGES HAS BEEN STOPPED' (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) IKEA RUSSIA HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS MARIA TIKHONOVA, SAYING: "Because the trust of our customers is extremely important to the company, we decided to completely halt the sale of sausages in all 14 stores in Russia." BOY APPROACHING FOOD COUNTER TO MAKE PURCHASE WOMAN BEHIND COUNTER PEOPLE PURCHASING FOOD AT COUNTER
- Embargoed: 22nd March 2013 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Russian Federation
- City:
- Country: Russia
- Topics: Health
- Reuters ID: LVA844BM0UUVUY34KVTIZWMNFW5Q
- Aspect Ratio:
- Story Text: Swedish retailer IKEA has stopped selling sausages in its 14 Russian stores after tests showed that sausages from its local supplier contained horsemeat, the company said on Thursday (March 7).
The world's No. 1 furniture retailer, known also for the restaurants at its huge out-of-town stores, said that the tests confirmed the presence of horsemeat in sausages produced by meat processing company Remit.
Remit was not available for comment, but the head of IKEA Russia's Communications, Maria Tikhonova told Reuters that a DNA analysis had confirmed the presence of horsemeat in sausages.
"Today IKEA received results from a DNA analysis of meatballs and sausages. The laboratory confirmed a complete lack of horsemeat in meatballs, however there were traces of horsemeat discovered in sausages which are produced by a different supplier, the company TF-Remit," Tikhonova said, adding, "Because the trust of our customers is extremely important to the company, we decided to completely halt the sale of sausages in all 14 stores in Russia."
Last month IKEA withdrew IKEA-branded wiener sausages produced by Familjen Dafgard from stores in a number of European countries and stopped nearly all sales of the same supplier's meatballs across the region.
Those withdrawals did not affect meatballs in Russia and IKEA said on Thursday that tests revealed no horsemeat in meatballs being supplied to IKEA's Russian stores by local producer PIT-Product, which is owned by Finnish group Atria.
A European scandal erupted in January when tests in Ireland revealed that some beef products also contained horsemeat, triggering recalls of ready meals in several countries and damaging confidence in Europe's vast and complex food industry. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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