Tönnies: This is how you recognize the meat in the supermarket

The corona scandal at Tönnies has made the abuses of the meat industry visible. We will explain how you can recognize Tönnies meat in the supermarket.

The German meat factory Tönnies recently counted more than 1,500 people infected with corona. A few weeks have passed since the scandal, but even with the recovery of the employees there is a bitter aftertaste. The corona crisis has mercilessly exposed the grievances of the German meat industry.

The risk of being infected with the corona virus via meat is estimated to be extremely low to almost impossible. But the conditions under which people work and animals are killed remain in many people's minds. Where does the meat on my plate come from? Does it come from the meat factory? And how can I recognize Tönnies products at all?

Recognize Tönnies meat using the approval number

Finding out where packaged meat and sausage products come from the supermarket is not that easy. Because the meat factory is not always recognizable by name. Instead, it is important to pay attention to one detail. According to the consumer advice center, this is the so-called identity symbol, which is usually on the packaging in an oval shape. First the country of origin and state are noted, followed by a five-digit approval number of the meat company. This can in turn be tracked at the Federal Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety.

As reported in "InFranken", among others, there are three approval numbers that refer to the Tönnies meat factory:

  • "NW 20202 EG"
  • "NW 20028 EG"
  • "NW 20045 EG"

However, this traceability has its pitfalls: the number only indicates where the product was last processed. For example, if the meat originally came from Tönnies, but was packed or processed by another company, the latter is stated – the original meat producer remains unrecognizable.

Tönnies meat in brands and products

Another way to recognize Tönnies products is to pay attention to certain brands. Since Tönnies is Germany's largest slaughterhouse for pigs, the products have been sold in numerous supermarkets.

At Lidl, products from the Tönnies factory are said to have been sold under the "Meine Metzgerei" brand. However, according to RTL, the discounter wants to limit cooperation in the future. Aldi also has Tönnies products, here under the "Landjunker" brand.

Chip.de has also published a list of brands that contain Tönnies meat:

  • Astro
  • Böklunder
  • Dölling
  • Gutfried
  • Hareico
  • Heine's
  • Jensen's
  • Koenecke
  • Lutz
  • Marten
  • Naumburger
  • Plum rose
  • Redlefsen
  • Schulte
  • Vevia
  • Weimarer
  • Wilx
  • Broken original
  • Zimbo

It is also known that the convenience brand "Tillman's", which produces, among other things, "Tillman's Toasty", should process Tönnies meat.

Finally, there is a residual risk – if you want to know where your meat comes from, you should ask the butcher and only buy products from the butcher you trust.

Sources used: Consumer advice center, Federal Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety, RTL, inFranken, Chip.de