Farmers ambush Tesco's meat counter
UK - Militant farmers are using guerrilla tactics against supermarkets selling pork, bacon, ham and sausages that fail animal welfare standards.Thousands of red warning stickers have been printed and farmers and their supporters are visiting stores and putting the labels on packs of the offending meat.
The farmers’ ambush against their main customers comes after a price war that has seen pig meat prices drop to 31 per kg and less.
British farmers are having to match the cheaper prices of their rivals in the Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium and France, where production costs are lower. Continental pig farmers are still allowed to use stall and tether systems — which stop sows moving around — that were banned in Britain seven years ago.
The assault is being co-ordinated by farmers in Yorkshire and along the east coast of England. They have reformed the British Pig Industry Support Group, which organised blockades at Tesco and Asda distribution depots over low pig meat prices in 1999.
Source: Timesonline
27 March 2006
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