Shoppers stocking up their cupboards for Christmas are being "misled" by poor food labelling, a survey has revealed.

We are calling for the food and drinks industry to label their products honestly

Kaye McIntosh, editor of Health Which?

The Consumers Association made the claim after carrying out a survey of products likely to be eaten during the festive season.

It said the names of products often bore no relation to their actual ingredients.

In its publication Which?, the association asked 90 people to give their views on the main ingredients in five products.

Products which drew attention included Paxo's Celebration Sausagemeat and Thyme Stuffing Mix.

According to Which?, almost two-thirds of the shoppers expected the stuffing mix's main ingredient would be sausagemeat.

But the only meat was, in fact, 8% "mechanically recovered" dried turkey.

'Should be truthful'

A cranberry juice drink - by Whole Earth Mountain - was also found to contain less than 1% cranberry juice.

Most of those interviewed said they felt misled by such products.

Kaye McIntosh, editor of Health Which?, said: "We are calling for the food and drinks industry to label their products honestly and stop misleading consumers."

Martin Paterson, deputy director general of the Food and Drink Federation, said UK food and drink manufacturers relied on the loyalty and trust of their customers.

He said: "They agree that marketing claims and labelling should be truthful and not misleading."

Paxo told Which? it was changing the name of its product to "Celebration Sausagemeat and Thyme Flavour" and said it would use 6% chicken meat powder instead of mechanically recovered turkey.

The magazine said Whole Earth had also said it had increased the cranberry juice content in its drink to 3.2%.