Reindeer Meat Sells Out

Fury as Harvey Nichols sell tinned Reindeer meat as Christmas delicacy (but that's not stopped it selling out)

• £15 product dubbed a 'farm-raised relative of Rudolph'
• Animal rights activists say eating reindeer pate is 'a 'twisted' idea of 'festive fun'

Harvey Nichols was today slammed by activists for selling reindeer pate as a Christmas delicacy.

The £15 product is described on the tins as an 'indulgent winter treat' coming from a 'farm-raised relative of Rudolph'.

But campaigners were urging the store to ban the product as it 'exploits wild animals'.

The pate, which is also available on Amazon, has been produced by a west London company called Edible.

It is made from Swedish Arctic Reindeer meat and contains cognac and spices.

Edible said on their website that the product, sold in 190g tins, is: 'delicious served on hot buttered toast with a glass of brandy'.

Constance Cooper, spokesman for Harvey Nichols, said: 'Our online stock has sold out due to the publicity and demand we've received.

'It's a seasonal product and stocks are limited so we will not be restocking prior to Christmas.'

Activists Vegetarians International Voice for Animals today urged Harvey Nichols to ban the product.

In a letter to the store, they wrote: 'I understand that the reindeer meat you sell claims to be from farmed animals, this... raises concerns – as farming methods are likely to cause huge amounts of stress to animals used to relatively free range over wide areas.'

A spokesman for the group urged consumers to leave the product on the shelves.

He said: 'Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, can anyone really justify this exploitation of essentially wild animals for just a bit of twisted festive fun?

'We urge consumers to reject reindeer meat, and for Harvey Nichols to set an ethical example of goodwill by dropping it from their stores.

'Of course, eating any animal causes suffering, so please consider going veggie this Christmas.'

Last year Lidl was slammed for stocking reindeer steaks.

A spokesman for Harvey Nichols said the product had been a big hit with customers and they had sold out in their London store.

'Our Foodmarket specialises in obtaining delicacies for our customers’ international gourmet palates and Reindeer is a traditional part of the Scandinavian diet,' he said.

'Interestingly Reindeer is growing in popularity in the UK as, like venison, it is low in fat, which some people prefer in their diet.

'We have already sold out from our Knightsbridge store and due to the publicity it has received it has become a top seller on our website too. Vegetarians International Voice for Animals, harvey nichols,

'The reindeer we stock is farmed in Sweden and complies to EU legislation, in a similar way that we would farm sheep or cattle in this country.’

The product disappeared from Harvey Nichols' website. A spokesman said it had 'sold out'.

Source:: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2074988/Harvey-Nichols-sell-tinned-Reindeer-meat-Christmas-delicacy.html#ixzz1h0EyMsmi