Foodstuff, Latvia, Legislation, Markets and Companies

Meat-processing companies want beef and they receive beef. The truth is that old horses, incapable of working, end up in slaughterhouses. To some extent, it is an act of mercy-killing. Farmers and vets cannot help these animals. It is done in the entire Europe. In Soviet times, massive amounts of horsemeat came to Latvia from Latin America without being publicly mentioned. "We are aware that such practices are consumer deception, however, life is life," explained Vidomska.

Last year, slaughterhouse Heinors supplied horsemeat labeled as beef to meat-processing company Forevers, admitted the slaughterhouse's owner Edgars Turcis.

Several horses ended up at slaughterhouse and Forevers promised to purchase them labeled as beef. It was done at the company's request. The slaughterhouse did accept horses before. It was a single case, said Turcis.