Imports dominate pork and lamb as Scottish shelf share stalls at 26%

Despite repeated pledges from supermarkets to back local farming, just 26% of own-label products on Scottish shelves are actually sourced in Scotland, NFU Scotland’s latest report has revealed.

The union’s Year in Review: ShelfWatch 2025-26 found a marked gap between retailer commitments and what is physically stocked in stores.

Across 2025, more than 80,000 own-label lines were audited, with a further 20,000 reviewed in January 2026 alone, providing what NFU Scotland describes as a robust evidence base.

The headline figure highlights the scale of reliance on non-Scottish supply in many categories, particularly in red meat.

Less than 5% of own-label pork was Scottish, with imports dominating the fixture, while lamb imports rose sharply. Mixed-origin labelling also continues to create confusion for shoppers.

In contrast, some retailers demonstrated stronger performance. Aldi topped the table on Scottish sourcing, with 65% of audited products labelled Scottish.

When Scottish and wider UK sourcing were combined, the Co-op ranked first overall, with Scottish-labelled products accounting for almost one in three lines.

Import dependence varied significantly. Co-op and Aldi recorded less than 2% imported own-label goods, compared with 23% at Asda and 16% at Tesco.

Highlighting its approach, Nicole Tallant, Co-op’s Director of Commercial, said: “Supporting UK agriculture is more important than ever for us, our members and customers.”

She said the retailer remained committed to championing “home grown and locally sourced products” and sourcing all own-brand fresh and frozen meat, fresh milk and cream from British farms.

Its range of British-grown produce, including Scottish blueberries, potatoes and carrots, had been recognised by ShelfWatch, she added.

Angus farmer Sandy Milne, who sits on the Co-op Dairy Group Committee, said he had seen that support in practice.

“I’ve supplied Co-op with milk for a number of years and have seen firsthand the retailer’s long-term support for Scottish farmers bringing goods like milk from my farm to shelves across Scotland,” he said.

NFU Scotland president Andrew Connon said ShelfWatch was designed to hold retailers to account.

“ShelfWatch is more than a snapshot of supermarket shelves, it’s a lens into the real choices retailers make and the value they place on Scottish farmers and crofters,” he said.

He argued that where retailers such as Aldi and Co-op lead, it proves high domestic sourcing is achievable, even in a competitive market.

However, the persistent gaps in pork, lamb and processed lines show that many suppliers are “not getting the recognition or returns they deserve”.

The audit also found that nearly 80% of eggs were Scottish, with Aldi, Co-op and Lidl stocking 100% Scottish eggs. More than 80% of fresh milk was Scottish, while Scottish potatoes accounted for over half of those surveyed — up 11% on the previous year, with Aldi achieving full Scottish sourcing in that category.

Mr Connon said the findings reinforce calls for retailers to adopt a Scottish-first sourcing policy, promote local produce more prominently, ensure fair pricing and deliver clear country-of-origin labelling.

“ShelfWatch gives us the evidence to challenge performance, support fair pricing, and encourage transparency that benefits farmers, consumers, and the wider Scottish and UK economy,” he said.

Now in its third year, ShelfWatch audits eight major UK retailers and publishes the results annually to drive transparency and accountability.

With shoppers increasingly focused on provenance, retailers face growing pressure to turn public commitments into measurable sourcing outcomes.