Customers Want British Meat, says Sainsbury’s

It cites Sainsbury’s which has extended its policy of 100 per cent British pork, ham and sausages to…

It cites Sainsbury’s which has extended its policy of 100 per cent British pork, ham and sausages to its sandwiches and in-store cafés – a sector which has seen over ten per cent growth for the retailer over the past year.

Sainsbury’s makes a point of using the Union Flag on pork products in-store, and is now extending this to its foodservice messaging. It says the use of British pork in this fast-growing area will continue raising awareness and consumption of British pork, “which is great for customers and farmers alike”.

NPA chairman Richard Lister said: “We know sourcing more British meat and promoting the fact on-pack to customers means supermarkets have stolen a huge lead on restaurants and fast-food chains when it comes to gaining public trust.

“If foodservice companies want the public to trust them to a similar degree, the answer is staring them in the face. They should copy Sainsbury’s by serving British pork and pork products, and advertising the fact widely.”

NPA bases its argument for all-British meat on menus, on a recent YouGov survey which found nearly 70 per cent of shoppers trust the meat they buy in supermarkets either a lot or a fair amount, compared to only 58 per cent trusting the meat they are served in restaurants and 17 per cent in fast-food outlets.

“Many foodservice outlets already make a point of sourcing British, but they don’t always say so on their wall displays and table menus,” says NPA chief executive Dr Zoe Davies. “If they do, this research shows customers will respond really positively."

Since Horsegate in 2013, supermarkets have worked to restore trust by sourcing more British meat and labelling the fact clearly. YouGov research data on consumer trust, released recently by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, demonstrates the strategy is working.