Farmers call on shoppers to choose UK lamb this Easter

Shoppers are being urged to choose British lamb this Easter, as the National Sheep Association (NSA) highlights its welfare standards and environmental credentials ahead of the bank holiday.

UK-produced lamb is beginning to appear on butchers’ counters and supermarket shelves, with the organisation encouraging consumers to check labels carefully and opt for domestic produce over imports.

A roast leg of lamb remains a traditional Easter choice, although shoppers are increasingly faced with a mix of British and imported options.

NSA chief executive Phil Stocker said supermarket promotions would be “luring shoppers in to fill their shopping trollies with delicious produce” over the Easter weekend, including lamb.

He added: “We hope consumers choose to enjoy British lamb, or even hogget - sheep meat from animals approximately one year of age that have taken a little longer to reach the supply chain because of their breed or farming system.”

Hogget, which comes from slightly older sheep, is often associated with a stronger flavour and slower production systems.

Mr Stocker said UK farming standards remain among the highest globally, with production helping to maintain the farmed environment across meadows, hills and uplands.

The call comes as consumers increasingly scrutinise the environmental impact of their food choices, particularly in relation to livestock production. It also comes at a time when lamb consumption in the UK has seen a long-term decline, influenced by changing diets and cost pressures.

While red meat is frequently linked to climate concerns, industry groups point to research suggesting pasture-based grazing systems — widely used in UK sheep farming — may play a role in managing carbon and supporting biodiversity.

Mr Stocker said the UK sheep industry operates extensively on pasture, much of which is unsuitable for other land use, with grassland also acting as a carbon sink.

He added that mixed farming systems can help improve soil health while balancing productivity with environmental outcomes.

“A roast leg or shoulder of lamb is a perfect celebratory meal. Consumers choosing to enjoy lamb this Easter will not be disappointed,” Mr Stocker said.

“It is a meat that is full of flavour, produced naturally by the nation’s hard-working farmers.”

The seasonal push comes at a key time for UK sheep farmers, with Easter typically driving demand for lamb.

The organisation is urging shoppers to back British farmers by choosing UK lamb over imported alternatives this Easter.