Having read on the Basics threads about wasted veg, it made me think about an incident that happened to me on Saturday night.
I have lived in France for a year, and have discovered that meat is very, very expensive. I live by my slow cooker for the cheaper cuts of meat. Anyway, I had to go back to the UK to collect my children who were on holiday with my parents. I decided to go to their local abattoir's shop to buy some meat to bring back. I have previously flown 'in and out', and brought small amounts meat with me without a problem. This includes when I flew over to drop them off at the beginning of August.
I spent £25 on a huge amount of meat, it would have cost over £250 here. Anyway, I got to customs and was asked about meat and dairy products. I said that I had some and was told that either they would confiscate it, or I could contact my ferry operator who would insist that it was confiscated. I explained the above to the customs officer who then sincerely not want to take the meat, and even checked to see if we were allowed to keep the frozen items. Apparently the previous evening they confiscated enough meat to 'feed a hospital'. The ban will not be lifted for at least another three weeks despite the UK being clear of foot and mouth.
My grudge is, the French can be pedantic, but through the life I have here I accept that the good outweighs incidents like this, but surely the meat could have at least gone for use as pet food, to throw it away is sacrilege. If the customs people were allowed to take it home I would not object, but to throw such good meat away is such a waste.
