The Co-op Group has become the first retailer to switch all of its own-brand fresh meat to British suppliers.
From 2 May, the Group will provide only 100% fresh British bacon and lamb – dropping Danish bacon and New Zealand lamb.
The retailer already only sells British beef, chicken, ham, pork, sausages, duck and turkey and only uses British meat in all its own-label chilled ready meals, pies and sandwiches. The only exception is cured meats and continental varieties in ready meals and sandwiches, such as chorizo.
The announcement comes as the Group publishes research showing that meat imports into the UK have doubled over the last 20 years, and launches a £10m campaign focusing on the benefits of sourcing from British local farmers.
Since 1996, the quantity of meat coming to the UK has soared from £3bn to £6.2bn. More than £5bn worth of meat is now shipped from European Union member states while Asia and Oceania countries account for £804m worth of imports followed by Latin America at £345m.
“British consumers will be shocked to see how meat imports have grown while at the same time retailers hang out the bunting and claim to back British farmers,” says Jo Whitfield, retail chief executive at the Group. “Only the Co-op offers 100% British fresh meat all year round and not just in the meat cabinet but also in our sandwiches, our pies and our ready meals.
“We can do this because we’re owned by members not shareholders and can invest long-term in what matters to communities, not what provides the fastest shareholder return. I call on other retailers and food providers to do more to help our farmers, particularly as they head towards uncertain times.”
Almost a tenth of all meat imports into the UK come from Denmark, which exports £550m worth of meat into Britain each year while New Zealand lamb accounts for £291m worth of UK imports.
Ireland is the biggest beneficiary of EU meat trade with the UK, with £1.45bn of meat imported.
Meat imports by UK firms are up from £5.87bn in 2015 to £6.21bn in 2016. They have risen by a third since 2006, when they totalled £4.7bn.
