Foodservice firms urged to back British pork as pig prices fall

Independent pig producers are facing renewed pressure from falling prices and cheaper imports, prompting the NPA to seek urgent talks with major foodservice companies over support for British pork.

The National Pig Association has written to some of the UK’s biggest foodservice businesses requesting meetings on how the sector can increase support for British pork.

The move follows a recent joint statement from the NPA and NFU Scotland calling for foodservice companies to use more British pork and be more transparent about their sourcing policies.

In letters to leading foodservice firms, NPA chief executive Lizzie Wilson said the pig sector was facing a “very challenging time”.

She said: “These difficult market conditions are having a particularly significant impact on our independent producers, and as such we are contacting a number of foodservice businesses to request a meeting to discuss what more this integral part of the supply chain can do to support British pork.”

The recent backlog of pigs, which reached 100,000 at its peak, has now largely cleared, but the NPA warned this had come at the expense of pig prices.

The Standard Pig Price has fallen by more than 30p since August 2025 and currently stands at 178p/kg, with many producers being paid significantly less.

The NPA said the pressure has left independent producers exposed, with some receiving prices well below the Standard Pig Price.

Ms Wilson said cheaper pigmeat from the continent was continuing to affect the UK market.

She said: “While we know net EU imports into the UK are down almost 5% year-on-year for Q1, the swell of cheap pig meat on the continent and its attractiveness to UK food providers is a key factor in dictating this low UK price.”

She warned that independent producers were once again bearing the cost of the market pressure.

“This cost is ultimately being borne by the independent sector once again and the future of many independent pig producers has been cast into doubt in recent months, as the leading pork processors have given notice on contracts to suppliers up and down the country.”

The NPA is also exploring wider opportunities to support the market, including alternative outlets and ways to stimulate demand for British pork.

It said domestically produced pork was fully traceable and produced through a range of systems to meet different ethical and environmental requirements.

While the NPA regularly engages with processors and retailers over commitments to British pork, Ms Wilson said foodservice remained an area of more limited engagement despite its scale.

She said: “However, the foodservice sector, despite being more significant in both volume and value in comparison to retail, is still an area of limited engagement for us and can offer much greater scope for growth of British pigmeat supply.”

The letters request initial meetings with foodservice firms to better understand their businesses and discuss closer working relationships.

The aim is to identify ways to support British pig producers at a time of severe pressure on the independent sector.

Ms Wilson added: “We are very concerned about the future viability of the British pig sector and believe it is incumbent on the entire supply chain to commit to a coordinated approach to ensure its survival and progression.”

Closer engagement with foodservice companies could help create new demand for British pork at a critical time for independent producers.