Fur: Many Deficient Labels in Swiss Retail

The industry must do its homework when it comes to implementing fur labelling regulations: inspections were carried out in 163 shops during the 2018/2019 season, in some cases for the second time, as the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) announced on Thursday. Both random samples were taken and specific tips regarding incorrect labelling were followed up.

116 Complaints

In 116 of these 163 inspections — 71 percent — labelling deficiencies were flagged. In 86 cases these were rectified within the required timeframe; in the remaining 30 cases a chargeable order was issued. Six shops failed to comply even with this. In these cases, criminal proceedings were initiated.

Of a total of 6’691 fur products inspected, 3’732 were correctly labelled, including country of origin, animal species, and method of fur acquisition. However, 545 products had no labelling at all, and 2’414 products had incorrect labelling. In 93 percent of these cases, the labelling was incomplete.

Many Mix-ups

For the remaining incorrectly labelled products, the labelling was either wrong, the traceability of the product was not guaranteed, or the label and product did not match, as the FSVO stated. The largest share of complaints (63 percent) related to jacket collars.

Inspectors found mix-ups in labelling particularly in the case of collars made from raccoon dog fur. These fur trimmings were often incorrectly attributed to the similarly appearing raccoon. Looking at the overall picture, raccoon dog products most frequently gave rise to complaints, followed by red fox and rabbit.

Knowledge Gaps

The Fur Labeling Ordinance has been in force since March 1, 2013. Since then, five inspections have been carried out in the industry; however, during the 2018/2019 period, the number of inspections was significantly higher than before. The FSVO now intends to maintain this higher number and also increase inspections in rural areas and ski resorts.

According to the FSVO, shops are also to be inspected two or even three times more frequently. In stores where inspectors had already made a second visit in 2018/2019, the complaint rate was still 60 percent. The FSVO notes that regulations are still not being correctly implemented in many retail outlets.

The agency attributes this to gaps in knowledge among retail staff and intends to address the issue with informational materials. It states that the industry must fulfill its labeling obligations. The federal office also recommends that sales staff receive better training.

But the federal office is also counting on media coverage and the presence of the fur topic in politics. New regulations, in particular for better differentiation between faux and real fur as well as the labeling of fur from farmed animals, are currently being developed at the federal level.