With speculation around the UK trade negotiations, British retailers are standing firm in their commitments to sourcing Red Tractor assured British beef.
Lidl GB, Waitrose, Co-op, Aldi and Tesco have all reaffirmed their policies for sourcing British beef assured by Red Tractor. These commitments are a welcome vote of confidence in the dedication, quality, and high standards of our beef-producing members.
Speaking to the Press Association, Giles Hurley, chief executive of Aldi UK and Ireland said: “…100 per cent of our everyday fresh beef, pork and poultry is sourced from British farms… We won’t lower our standards even if others do. This isn’t just about food safety. It’s about protecting British farmers and doing the right thing for our customers.”
Waitrose reported a surge in demand for British-grown food with sales of British beef up 193% compared to this time last year.
Jake Pickering, Head of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries at Waitrose & Partners, said: “Our customers are telling us they want to support UK producers, and we’re proud to be a retailer that champions them every step of the way.”
Richard Bourns, Lidl GB chief commercial officer, who wrote to Red Tractor confirming the retailers’ confidence in Red Tractor assurance, said: “British farming is recognised globally for its high standards of animal welfare, food safety and environmental stewardship. At Lidl, we know these values matter to our customers, which is why we proudly support and champion British agriculture.”
These commitments demonstrate a strong, united front among leading UK retailers and send a powerful message of confidence in the integrity of UK farming and the assurance schemes that underpin it.
Speaking at the time of the Lidl GB commitment, Red Tractor Chair, Alistair Mackintosh, called on others to follow suit.
Consumer demand for British produce was also confirmed by Red Tractor’s latest Trust in Food Index. The research, commissioned to reinforce calls for retailers and the government to back British, revealed that 94% of people trust food produced in the UK. For food from the US, trust drops to just a third.
Consumers have made it clear: they value food that reflects British values of local, safe, and responsibly produced. This is supported by three quarters of main shoppers saying they recognise the Red Tractor logo and see it as an independent marque they can trust. Undermining these expectations risks eroding UK consumers’ confidence in food safety and standards that British farmers and assurance bodies have worked so hard to earn.
We thank these retailers for leading by example and demonstrating their continued support for British beef. We will keep pressing for others to follow suit because, we know that supporting British farming is not only good for business – it is essential for trust in our food system.
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