Waitrose has committed to sourcing all its own-label fresh and frozen lamb from British producers 365 days a year by 2021.
It already offers customers British lamb on its meat counters all year round, and all its organic lamb is also already 100% UK-sourced. It will aim to complete its move to be 100% British-sourced across fresh and frozen by the summer of 2021. Fresh chicken, pork, beef, eggs and liquid milk sold in store is also sourced exclusively from the UK.
Waitrose, which previously sourced some of its lamb from New Zealand during the winter months, said the move was part of its investment in the future of British agriculture.
The supermarket added it was looking to increase its production of lamb in the UK, which it would achieve by “extending opportunity” to existing lamb producers and welcoming new ones into the supply chain.
“We have always offered British lamb on our service counters year-round and we are delighted to be able to extend that strategy to the pre-pack lamb assortment,” Tor Harris, head of CSR for health and agriculture, said.
“Waitrose & Partners is renowned for its range of quality lamb products, something we overtrade in comparatively to our market share. Although we are already in a great position, we are constantly looking at ways to innovate our product and are actively looking to partner with new lamb producers around Britain to ensure we continue to offer great tasting, high-quality lamb all year round.”
Morrisons was the first of the big four supermarkets to commit to sourcing 100% British fresh meat after vowing to stop selling imported lamb back in July 2017.
The move followed a commitment by the Co-op in May 2017 to switch to 100% British-sourced fresh and frozen meat. Aldi also sells 100% British fresh beef, lamb, poultry and pork.
The latest analysis from AHDB’s Beef & Lamb Watch survey showed that 70% of fresh lamb sold in UK supermarkets was sourced from UK producers in June 2019.
Asda sourced 36% of its fresh lamb from the UK, Sainsbury’s 53%, Tesco 83%, M&S 99%, Lidl 17%, Iceland 16% and Budgens 82%.
Waitrose’s commitment came at a time of “great uncertainty for the sheep sector”, said NFU Cymru livestock board chairman Wyn Evans, who described the move as “a welcome boost”.
He added: “This is a really positive move from one of the major buyers of lamb in the UK which highlights that there is a strong appetite amongst consumers for Welsh and British lamb products. We look forward to working in partnership with Waitrose to help further grow sales of great tasting Welsh lamb.”
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