NFU hails retailer’s British pledge

Co-operative Food has handed a boost to British farmers by pledging to convert some of its key product ranges to using 100 per cent home-grown ingredients.
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The commitment to using British meat, poultry and fish extends to the retailer’s new Food to Go range and its own-brand chilled ready meals and pies.

Products excluded from the pledge include continental meats, prawns and tuna.

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Announcing the move this week, Steve Murrells, chief executive of retail at The Co-operative Group, said: “All our fresh chicken, pork, beef and turkey is 100 per cent British, and switching to 100 per cent British meat and poultry for these key own-brand product ranges forms a large part of the quality message.

“In a survey commissioned by The Co-operative earlier this year, 72 per cent of people said it was very important that the UK has a sustainable farming industry, with 22 per cent saying it was quite important.” The pledge was greeted warmly by the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), which has been leading a Back British Farming campaign since August.

The NFU wants politicians, retailers, supermarkets, food processors, restaurants and cafes to do more to support British farmers and has launched a charter which people can sign online.

Phil Hudson, the NFU’s head of food and farming, said: “The Co-operative has already expressed its support to Back British Farming by signing our new online charter. Today’s news really demonstrates the retailer’s commitment to British farmers in sourcing only British meat and poultry for its key own-brand ranges.

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“Our own survey work showed that 78 per cent of people agree or strongly agree that supermarkets should sell more food from British farms and so I welcome The Co-operative’s back to basics approach to a more direct, transparent and fairer supply chain.”

Earlier in the year, The Co-operative set up its own British farming groups, aimed at cementing its relationships with producers, delivering a continued investment in quality and providing shoppers with a more consistent and transparent supply chain, it said.

The provenance of food has come under intense scrutiny since February when traces of horsemeat DNA were discovered in a small minority of meat products labelled as beef. Ever since then, the major retailers have been at pains to win back the trust of consumers.

The Co-operative is the UK’s fifth biggest food retailer in the country with almost 2,800 local, convenience and medium-sized stores. As well as making its British pledge, the retailer has also announced it is extending its own-brand range in an attempt to capture a greater share of what it says remains a growing market.

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The strategy is aimed at attracting younger customers, bosses said.

The retailer’s new Food to Go breakfast and lunch range includes porridge and salads, and is the first to be launched into The Co-operative’s new ‘Loved by Us’ brand.

Other new additions featured in the new range are a selection of Middle Eastern and Indian-style flatbreads and wraps, improved sandwiches with softer breads and extra fillings.

Meanwhile, a new and improved chilled ready meals range includes almost 50 new premium Truly Irresistible and Loved by Us products and will be rolled out from 16 September, alongside an extended range of chilled pies featuring British meat and poultry, where applicable.

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