£300,000 campaign urges shoppers to back Welsh meat

A £300,000 campaign has been launched to persuade shoppers across Wales to look specifically for PGI Welsh Lamb and PGI Welsh Beef when buying red meat.

Led by Hybu Cig Cymru, the year-long 'Naturally Local. Look for the Logo' campaign will use television, print and online advertising to increase recognition of the products’ distinctive branding.

The logos are intended to help consumers identify genuine Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef and give them confidence about the meat’s origin and traceability.

Protected Geographical Indication status confirms that the products come from animals born and reared in Wales and have been produced to recognised standards of quality and traceability.

HCC hopes greater familiarity with the logos will encourage shoppers to actively choose Welsh meat at the point of purchase.

The campaign will also promote the contribution made by consumer spending to Welsh farmers, rural communities and the wider food and drink industry.

Red meat accounts for 40% of Wales’s agricultural output and was worth an estimated £878 million in 2024.

Agriculture also employs around 48,000 people across Wales, making the success of its livestock sector important to rural businesses and communities.

The advertising will present Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef as locally produced alternatives to meat imported over long distances.

Lisa Markham, whose Pennant Farm near Llanfihangel-y-Pennant appears in the Welsh Lamb television advert, said the products’ provenance reflected generations of Welsh farming.

“For us, provenance is about more than where food comes from – it's about the people, the landscape and the generations of care behind it. Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef are rooted in the rich farming heritage of Wales, giving consumers confidence that they are buying a product with a genuine connection to place.”

The campaign forms part of HCC’s new strategic action plan and marks the beginning of a longer-term programme promoting the provenance of Welsh red meat.

HCC marketing manager Pip Gill said the organisation wanted the branding to become immediately recognisable to consumers.

“Our aim is to make the Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef logos synonymous with quality, provenance and authenticity.”

She said building familiarity with the logos would make it easier for shoppers to identify genuine Welsh products and make informed purchasing decisions.

“Through this campaign, we want consumers to recognise, remember and actively look for the logo whenever they are buying red meat.”

HCC’s announcement did not include specific targets for increasing logo recognition or sales.

The campaign’s impact will therefore be judged by whether greater awareness translates into more shoppers choosing PGI Welsh Lamb and PGI Welsh Beef at the point of purchase.