Lidl commits £500m to boost British berry sourcing

British berry growers are set for a £500 million sourcing boost after Lidl GB committed to new five-year agreements aimed at increasing home-grown volumes.

The supermarket said the £500m figure reflects the value of sourcing contracts with British-based berry suppliers over the next five years.

Lidl said the longer agreements were intended to give suppliers greater certainty to invest and plan production at a time of rising costs and unpredictable weather.

The berry sector has faced pressure from labour shortages, rising wage costs, energy bills and weather disruption, making longer-term supply agreements increasingly important for growers planning investment in crops, tunnels, irrigation and labour.

The announcement does not set out how the increased volumes will be shared between suppliers, or whether the agreements include pricing mechanisms linked to production costs.

Lidl said demand for British berries had continued to increase, with British blueberry sales rising by more than 200% over the past three years.

British blackberries were up almost 93% over the same period, while Deluxe Blush Strawberries recorded a 50% volume increase last year.

British Berry Growers said Lidl’s British berry volumes had increased from around 11,500 tonnes in 2023 to more than 15,700 tonnes in 2025.

That represents a rise of more than 36% in two seasons.

The organisation said Lidl now accounts for around 12.6% of all British berry tonnage sold through its members across strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries.

Richard Bourns, chief commercial officer at Lidl GB, said the investment represented a major commitment to domestic growers.

“We are backing British farming with a £500million vote of confidence in our British berry growers,” he said.

“By extending our long-term agreements, we’re providing the security suppliers need to build a resilient future.”

Mr Bourns said longer-term agreements would allow suppliers to invest, innovate and scale production.

He added that the partnerships would help make fresh British berries more widely available to customers.

The announcement was welcomed by Dearnsdale Farm in Staffordshire, which has supplied British produce for generations.

Tom Busby, director at Dearnsdale Farm, said the business had been farming at Dearnsdale for 100 years, producing British produce “to feed the nation”.

He said Dearnsdale Fruit had built a “strong, open, collaborative relationship” with Lidl GB, focused on supplying quality, affordable and sustainable berries.

Mr Busby said the new agreement would give the business more confidence to invest and adapt.

“Now we have a long-term agreement with Lidl GB, this will give us as a British grower the opportunity and confidence to continue to invest and adapt in the everchanging world of berries into the next century.”

Nick Marston, chair of British Berry Growers, said the scale of Lidl’s increased volumes showed a significant commitment to the sector.

“This kind of retailer investment and commitment to British berries is exactly what our growers need and, as we head into another British berry season, that continued support for homegrown produce is more important than ever.”

The latest announcement builds on Lidl GB’s wider £30 billion sourcing commitment to the British food and farming industry by 2030.