Serious concern has been raised by key agricultural stakeholders following reports that imported chicken, and beef is flooding UK supermarket shelves.
The National Farmers Union Scotland has called on retailers such as Morrisons, Asda and Sainsbury’s to stick to their promises and avoid the risk of eroding relationships with Scottish producers.
New data has revealed a significant shift towards lower-cost imports which the NFUS states is a betrayal of consumers and ‘undermines’ the dedication of Scottish farmers. The research, conducted by Censuwide on behalf of Quality Meat Scotland, has shown that 90% of red meat buyers would choose Scottish beef, lamb and pork over cheaper imported alternatives.
Robert Neill, NFUS vice president, portrayed the Unions outrage at the current situation on shelves. He said: “While our farmers and growers work day in, and day out to uphold world-leading standards in animal welfare, climate action and food quality, some supermarkets are stocking imported products that simply don’t meet the same bar.
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“Scottish farmers are being undercut by a system that rewards the lowest price, not the highest standards. This is a slap in the face to Scottish producers and a betrayal of the public who expect to see local food on local shelves.”
NFUS has long been an advocate for highlighting the disparity in supermarkets between quality Scottish produce and cheaper imports, that are held to lower standards. Their long-running ShelfWatch campaign has consistently exposed this disconnect, highlighting supermarkets’ push for ‘price over provenance’.
They are calling on retailers to commit to ‘Scottish first’ sourcing and to reduce their dependence on imported goods, as well as introducing clear country-of-origin labelling on all products.
Mr Neill professed that this was not merely about policy, but more so about the livelihoods of farming families. Continuing he said: “It’s about the next generation wondering whether they’ll be able to carry on the work of their parents and grandparents.
“If supermarkets want to claim they support British farming, they need to prove it where it counts: at the shelf and through the supply chain so that our farmers and growers can continue to feed the nation.”
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