The Co-op has re-affirmed its commitment to British farmers at a recent farming conference, saying it is a "cornerstone" of its food strategy.
Earlier in the year, the retailer committed to sourcing 100% fresh British lamb and bacon and doubling the volume of PGI Welsh Lamb and Beef in more than 160 of its stores across Wales.
Its most recent commitment will begin in 2018 where the retailer will only source 100% British meat in its own label frozen products.
Catherine Bennett, Co-op Agriculture Manager for Beef and Lamb, re-affirmed the commitment to British farmers at a recent NFU Cymru County Conference.
Ms Bennett said: “A commitment to local sourcing forms a cornerstone of the Co-op’s food strategy. Supporting British doesn’t just support the farmer but it also supports the whole community – and community is at the heart of our business strategy.
“As part of our commitment to British lamb we have also widened our Lamb Farming Group, to include the Cambrian Lamb Group – further strengthening our supplier relations.”
'Quality'
Alex Higgs, the newly elected NFU Cymru Montgomeryshire County Chair said British and Welsh food is "renowned for its quality".
“We’re pleased that the Co-op has recognised this and are sourcing more and more meat from our domestic markets,” he said.
“We know that consumers want delicious, simple-to-cook meals and it’s essential the industry continues to promote lamb, in particular, as a nutritious and great value choice. We must ensure younger consumers are aware of its versatility and ease of cooking.
Mr Higgs added: “NFU Cymru is engaging with HCC and key stakeholders within the industry to help promote our world-class PGI product in the UK as Welsh farmers we are reliant on the domestic market and could be even more so following our departure from the EU.”
