UK: Aldi's move to drop support for British lamb criticised

Published Feb 22, 2023

Tridge summary

Aldi has withdrawn its commitment to sourcing 100% of its British lamb and beef, a decision criticized by the National Sheep Association as demonstrating disregard for British produce. This comes at a time when the sector is grappling with significant challenges, including a 13% drop in farmgate prices for lamb and rising input costs like fuel, feed, and fertiliser. Despite these challenges and a surplus of lamb in the UK, the NSA is encouraging retailers to support British produce, highlighting its sustainability and high welfare standards.

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Original content

Aldi's move to drop its support for British-produced lamb and beef has been criticised as 'demoralising' by the UK sheep sector. The discounter has stepped back from its 100 percent commitment to British lamb and beef, which has been in place for years. The National Sheep Association (NSA) said the controversial move amounted to a 'blatant disregard' for British produce. Farmgate prices for lamb are currently under huge pressure, with GB prices down by 13% compared to the same week last year. At the same time, sheep producers are dealing with extreme inflation of input costs across fuel, feed and fertiliser. "This air of negativity is not good for any part of the supply chain and reflects particularly poorly on retailers," said Phil Stocker, NSA chief executive. "Farmers at the beginning of the supply chain need support from everyone within it, to acknowledge that red meat is costing more to produce and get to market. "To see one retailer imply that costs have been artificially ...

Source: FarmingUK