Benefits of buying fresh local produce outlined in new dairy report

A new report entitled 'Analysis of country of origin on butter and cheddar sold in Scottish and British Retailers' has been released.

The report was originally commissioned by the Scottish Government in September 2015 due to the problems facing dairy farmers across Scotland.

The report was designed to analyse the current retail landscape, evaluating the amount of Scottish added value dairy products sold across Scotland and GB at both a total market and retailer level.

By doing this, opportunities could be identified in the market for processors to produce more added value products to be sold in the retailers both in Scotland and the rest of GB.

The ultimate outcome being a greater demand for Scottish milk which in turn should result in higher farmgate milk prices.

Graham’s the Family Dairy has responded to this report, exploring the benefits that could be gained by dairy farmers if more Scottish shoppers bought local produce.

Robert Graham, Managing Director of Graham’s called for increased collaboration and commitment from grocers to help address the issue. He said: “It’s clear from this report that we need to find fresh, new ways to promote Scottish produce more effectively.

“While clear labelling plays a part, we believe that supermarkets should continue to offer more shelf space to home-grown food and drink, so that customers can better understand the impact of their shop.

“Although it's improving, some stores still give more weight and space to foreign brands.

“Instead, we need to make sure that Scottish produce is prioritised to give it at least the same standing if not better.

“When people eat local, they are almost always eating of a better quality, plus they’re directly supporting local jobs and local farmers.

“It’s a win for each individual customer and for the economy.

“As well as more profile, we also need to encourage retailers not to limit Scottish produce to Scotland only.

“A key step forward would be for grocers to extend more listings of Scottish brands to the rest of their stores throughout the UK.

“By making incremental and easily achieved changes within our native market, we can affect a significant and positive impact on sales, again supporting the economy and consequently job creation.

“Plus there are other, less obvious reasons to seriously consider provenance. For example, the environmental impact of extensive food miles.

“Foreign butter might have travelled almost 2000 miles before reaching your fridge. It’s often frozen and then defrosted when it reaches the UK.

“Much fresher local produce lies right here, on Scotland’s doorstep.

Richard Lochhead, Scotland’s Rural Affairs Secretary commented: “In the long-term, I would like to see the sales of Scottish cheddar cheese double across the UK over the next five years – if the industry and retailers work together we can make this a reality.

“Currently Scottish cheddar cheese is worth 5.6 per cent of the UK market – which is around £82 million – by upping sales to 11 per cent we will plough an extra £82 million each year into the sector.

“I believe that if consumers are aware a product is Scottish, they will be more likely to support their local producers and buy it.

“So I see a great opportunity here for dairy processors to look at the ways they market their products and encourage further sales of home-grown produce.”