The previous Conservative government's 'not for EU' labelling scheme for meat and dairy has been dropped, Defra has confirmed following a review.

The controversial plans were put on pause over the summer and were under review after warnings that the move would cause 'chaos' for producers and suppliers.

Defra has now announced that the labelling will not be implemented from the beginning of October, a decision welcomed by farming and meat industry bodies.

The Conservatives had committed to introduce the 'not for EU' labelling across Britain, which would have been displayed on a range of agri-food products.

But Dairy UK, the trade body for the dairy sector, had warned that the financial cost per business of changing labelling alone would've been up to £500,000, and up to £2m per business when factoring in all other costs.

And the NFU had raised concerns that the labels would have lead to consumer confusion and misconceptions about the quality of food that UK farmers produce.

There would also have been additional costs for domestic suppliers of food and products for sale across Britain, the union warned earlier this year.

The labels were brought in as part of concessions secured with the EU under the Windsor Framework Agreement, which sets out post-Brexit trade arrangements for Northern Ireland.

The labels were intended to guarantee that food sold in the province that had not undergone EU border checks did not pass into the Republic of Ireland, which is part of the EU’s single market.

Meat and dairy products being sent from Britain to Northern Ireland already have to carry the stickers, but it was to be expanded from 1 October.

Chief executive of Dairy UK, Judith Bryans, said: “Had this initiative gone ahead with new labels being required on pack by 1 October, it would have resulted in chaos for dairy and added significant unnecessary cost and a huge admin burden to businesses.

“We’re very pleased that the government has listened to and reflected on the concerns we raised on behalf of our members.”

Responding to Defra's announcement, NFU president Tom Bradshaw said: “It’s good news that the government will no longer be introducing ‘Not for EU’ labelling across Great Britain.

“As we outlined in our consultation response, the government must avoid any approach, both now and in the future, that leads to confusion and misconceptions about the high-quality products UK farmers are proud to produce.”