The labelling of food products sold in retailers is 'confusing, vague and often misleading', NFU Scotland has concluded following a widespread consumer survey.
Responses to the union's survey from over 1,600 adults put the blame on current regulations, policies and practices.
The top three reasons on why consumers bought what they bought were quality, freshness and price, but 6 in 10 said that country of origin was also important.
Under half (41%) of consumers in Scotland said they knew either a lot or a fair amount about where their food was grown and produced.
Only half thought it was usually clear which country the food they bought came from, while half thought information about the country of origin on display was adequate.
And a significant 82% of consumers believed it was useful to have the Scottish flag displayed on a food product’s label, compared with 77% who thought likewise in respect of the Union Jack.
A majority (69%) said they believed a label would be useful if it clearly explained if half or more of the product was grown and produced in Scotland.
NFU Scotland chief executive, John Davidson said consumers were entitled to know the origin of the food they were buying to help them make informed choices.
He said: “Our findings support a radical overhaul – led by governments but also embraced by retailers – of the regulatory framework governing the rules around food labelling and we call on all governments to act.”
The survey shows that a vast majority (78%) of consumers said they were willing to spend more on local food, while 70% would spend more on food produced anywhere in the UK.
Mr Davidson said consumers across the UK, but especially in Scotland, were 'extremely supportive' of local food producers and were willing to spend more to support this.
"This needs to be understood by the market in respect of their sourcing policies," he explained. “There is only limited knowledge within consumers as to the origin of the food that they buy.
“There is very strong support for the ‘Saltire’ label in Scotland, which commands respect and trust in relation to its quality, safety and production credentials.
“And there is staunch support for more and clearer information on pack where the majority of the product is grown and produced ‘outwith’ Scotland/UK."
