Bord Bia - 'Quality Assurance' Ireland vs Northern Ireland - any *real* differences?

StaticNoise

Whilst in the supermarket yesterday, looking at the chicken fillets, I saw two options:

4 Bord Bia Assured Irish Chicken Fillets, and 7 Bord Bia Assured Northern Irish Chicken Fillets.

They were both €7.49. They both worked out at roughly the same weight per fillet. They weren't on special. They were both free range, and identical in quality.

I imagine it comes down to the 'origin' of the chicken, as there is very clearly a value difference. I confirmed this by asking a member of staff who said that they were always this price. Am I right in believing that the 'Northern Irish' fillets are more supporting of the British exquecher, and the 'Irish' fillet for ourselves?

If this is the case, how can we possibly justify the difference in value. You can hold national pride and a wish to support the 'country', but for many who are finding it tough, the option of buying more for the same price is a clear winner. I always think that it is important to support farmers, and I too want the country to get out of the state that it is in, but if it is the case that the Government are pocketing more off an 'Irish' fillet, even though it comes from the same island, I don't see why that should fly- if you pardon the pun.

If this is not the case, why is there a difference? Are 'Origin: Ireland' farmers charging more for their fillets, and the 'Original: Northern Ireland' less? They are both going through Bord Bia, so they are being checked by the same body- an Irish Food Board. And, I doubt the supermarket have just got a 'better deal' with the 'Northern Irish' suppliers compared with the 'Irish'.




I am not a 'Food & Drink' forum regular, so I am sure that it is frequented by people in the know, so please keep that in mind: you're talking to someone who doesn't know the industry!

Links: http://www.bordbia.ie/aboutfood/quality/pages/default.aspx (Bord Bia mark explanation)

stevenmu

AFAIK both Ireland and Northern Ireland work under the same or similar food safety standards, hence why Bord Bia has approved both. This helps sell both our products abroad, because then it can all just be "Irish" food maintaining a good reputation.

I don't know much about how the pricing is set, but the farmers are always complaining about how the supermarkets set the prices so if I had to guess I'd think that both Irish and Northern Irish farmers are getting pretty much the same price for the chicken, and the supermarket are marking up the Irish ones.

StaticNoise

Thanks for your reply.

But, what benefit would it be by marking up on the Irish ones. I have interests in the retail sector, and this situation from the supermarket in question isn't what they are normally up to. I am sure that many others, myself included, would snub the 'Irish' ones, and go for the 'Northern Irish' ones seeing as you are getting more of the same quality.