Sainsbury’s ups commitment to Scots suppliers

Sainsbury’s has pledged to buy more food and drink from Scottish suppliers.

The supermarket said at its annual Regional Supplier Conference in Edinburgh yesterday (25 January) that working with more Scottish suppliers was a key part of its 20 By 20 sustainability plan.

That includes a commitment to double the amount of British food in its stores by 2020. Currently the retailer sources £600m in goods – representing 1,500 lines – from 140 Scottish businesses.

“Thanks to the good relationships we’ve established we can offer some truly local branded and own-brand ranges,” said Rich Squire from Sainsbury’s regional buying team. “We’ve been building our local sourcing network for a number of years and have created a strong base in Scotland.”

Sainsbury’s has this week launched a traditional Scottish bakery range, including pineapple tarts and coffee buns, into Scottish stores.