Supermarkets Sourcing Meat from Abroad, Despite Commitment to British Farmers

UK supermarkets such as Morrisons and Asda are sourcing meat from countries like Poland, Uruguay, and New Zealand, in a move that raises concerns about animal welfare and environmental standards. This decision comes as the price of red meat has soared in recent months, with UK farm gate beef prices increasing by 43.8% year-on-year. Supermarkets claim they are offering "outstanding value" to customers, but critics argue that this undermines British farmers and compromise their commitment to sourcing meat from the UK.

Key Takeaways:

• Morrisons is now selling raw chicken from Poland, which has lower animal welfare and environmental standards than UK-produced chicken.
• The retailer has also started selling sirloin steak from Australia, made possible by the unpopular trade deal struck by Liz Truss with Australia.
• Asda is selling sirloin and ribeye steaks from Uruguay, priced 20% lower than their UK and Irish counterparts.
• Sainsbury's has also been found to be stocking beef steaks from New Zealand.
• The NFU livestock board chair, David Barton, has expressed concern over the decision, stating that it erodes trust and damages farmer confidence.
• Morrisons claims to source 100% of its meat from the UK, but admits to introducing imported meat from trusted suppliers in some cases.
• Asda's own-brand fresh beef is still sourced from farms in the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Statistics:

• UK farm gate beef prices have increased by 43.8% year-on-year, with prices at 713.3p/kg on 3 May.
• Beef production is predicted to fall by 5% in the next year due to a decline in farming profitability and an expected cut to subsidies.
• The NFU regularly monitors supermarket shelves and has found that Morrisons, Asda, and Sainsbury's are all sourcing meat from abroad.

Sources:

• National Farmers' Union (NFU)
• Morrisons spokesperson
• Asda spokesperson
• Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB)
• Liberal Democrat environment spokesperson, Tim Farron
• NFU livestock board chair, David Barton
• RSPCA in Australia