Retailer chain Asda has relaunched its value Smart Price food range as Farm Stores, throwing back into the spotlight the row about retailers’ controversial use of “fake farm” brands to sell products.
Asda has reintroduced its “heritage” Farm Stores brand after a 2001 rebrand to Smart Price in order to expand its product range to more items.
UK farming organisations – which last year criticised Tesco’s introduction of a budget range of own-label “farm” brands – dismissed the latest marketing drive as misleading for consumers and insulting for farmers.
Peter Melchett, policy director of the Soil Association, called the latest move “disgraceful”.
'Reconnecting with our heritage'
But an Asda spokeswoman said: “We know how important quality produce at a great price is to our customers. We’re reconnecting with our heritage by bringing back the Farm Stores brand to Asda – a name that our customers remember and trust for great value quality produce.”
“Although such rebrands can drive an uplift in sales, in our view it is important that product names and descriptions are clear, accurate and do not mislead consumers,” National Farmers' Union advisor Ruth Mason told The Guardian.
Last year Tesco came under fire for introducing seven brands based on fictitious names of British farms, including Woodside Farms and Boswell Farms. Many of the items were imported from overseas.
Yorkshire pig farmer and former National Pig Association chairman Richard Longthorp said Tesco appeared to have 'forgotten the lessons about trust it should have learned from the horsemeat scandal.'
