In recent weeks, the NFU said it had become aware of beef from Australia, Uruguay and New Zealand going on sale in Asda, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s.
The trade body has shared concerns that the retailers have moved away from their commitments to source British beef, with NFU livestock board chair David Barton describing the trend as “deeply concerning”.
“It’s deeply concerning to see major retailers now move away from their previous commitments to sourcing British in the last few weeks in favour of imports, many of which have been produced to lower standards,” Barton said.
“Farmers’ long-standing partnerships with retailers have supported sustainable supply chains, so this shift is alarming.
“Decisions to renege on sourcing commitments erode trust and damage farmer confidence at a time when the sector is facing immense challenges, and with increased global insecurity, the need to build sustainable food supply chains has never been more important.”
All three retailers responded when approached for comment by Food Manufacture, each reaffirming its commitment to sourcing British beef.
A spokesperson for Sainsbury’s said that the claims were “entirely misleading” and based on two products that account for “just 0.1%” of its beef range.
“We have an unwavering, long-term commitment to British farming and this has zero impact on our approach or existing partnerships,” the spokesperson added.
Meanwhile, Asda said that all of its own brand fresh beef continues to be sourced from farms in the UK and Ireland and that the foreign steaks highlighted “are provided by a branded partner and available in our stores for a limited time only”.
Finally, a Morrisons spokesperson said: “Morrisons remains 100% British on all our meat counters. In our aisles – alongside our New Zealand lamb – we are introducing trials of some imported meat from trusted suppliers to help us offer outstanding value through the seasons and through any supply fluctuations.”
The news comes amid fears among consumers about trade deals allowing in an influx of meat produced to lower welfare and nutritional standards. However, this was ruled out as part of the UK-US tariff deal.
“British farmers have invested in higher standards such as reducing antibiotic use in beef and lowering poultry stocking densities in sheds,” added Barton.
“Consumers want these high-quality production systems, shown by over one million people signing our petition for import standards to match the UK’s.
“But delivering these standards comes with additional financial costs. Long-term sourcing commitments from retailers are essential to ensuring that the high welfare British food consumers want remains available.”
