Marks & Spencer has launched a new food marketing campaign that shines a spotlight on its beef traceability standards, from farm-to-fork.
M&S is now the only national retailer in the UK that can trace the beef it sells to every farm and animal from which it is sourced.
The campaign, 'We trace it, so you can trust it', is backed by DNA sampling provided by Dublin-based tech company Identigen.
The summer-long campaign, to appear on television, radio and print, will also carry a Union Jack flag highlighting to customers that the beef is British.
An interactive supply chain map showing every single farm that supplies M&S with beef launches next month.
DNA sampling
The retailer uses DNA sampling to trace its beef back to every farm and animal. A sample is taken from every animal from every farm that supplies M&S and its suppliers.
Thousands of tests are carried out every year on products taken at random from M&S stores and warehouses.
The tests check that beef is moving through the supply chain – from farm, to abattoir to processor and to store – correctly and that set standards are being followed.
Steve McLean, Head of Agriculture at Marks & Spencer, said: “We’re passionate about supporting British farming and working with our suppliers to invest in new technology and the best systems available.
“That gives us better traceability than anyone else in the market and, when it comes to beef, it means we know where every single animal was reared, how it was reared and how the beef moved through our supply chain.”
Sharry Cramond, Food Marketing Director at M&S, added: “Our beef campaign is an important first step in shining a spotlight on our unrivalled food standards – because trusting the food we eat matters to our customers.”
