National Pig Association THE VOICE OF THE UK PIG INDUSTRY NPA is active on members' behalf in Brussels & Whitehall, and with processors, supermarkets & caterers - fighting for the growth and pros-perity of the UK pig industry.

Over the past year we have seen reduced British share of the ham category, and it is both timely and appropriate that during December we shall be conducting a special one-off labelling survey of seasonal gammon ranges.

TESCO An improvement in the amount of British pork, bacon and ham found in Tesco’s stores this month with 84 percent of fresh pork being British, 41 percent of bacon and 29 percent of ham. This makes Tesco the most supportive of the big four retailers in the pork and bacon categories.

SAINSBURYS Our Porkwatch auditors reported an increase in imported (or poorly labelled) leg joints, which left Sainsburys’ overall ratio of British fresh pork at 72 percent. Its bacon score beats the overall average, with 34 percent being British, but it is now reported as worse than average on ham with only 25 percent British.

ASDA Whilst still below average in fresh pork there are signs of an improvement in its stocking level of British. In the bacon and ham categories it is by a long way the least supportive of the big four retailers, and the share enjoyed by British bacon and ham has fallen again.

MORRISONS Morrisons’ Porkwatch numbers tend to be pretty consistent. It sells imported fresh pork under its Fresh Choice brand, and unfortunately this is sometimes merchandised on shelves bearing Union flags. But its ratio of British ham is better than M&S.

SOMERFIELD Compared to a year ago Somerfield has gone backwards with a pitifully low British share of fresh pork (only 40 percent) and bacon (only 7 percent).

CO-OP Co-op’s decision to focus more directly on British pork and delist tertiary brands was picked up by our Porkwatch auditors. It is also above average in its support for British bacon.

WAITROSE As ever, no complaints about Waitrose’s stocking or labelling policies beyond our perennial grouse that it does not see the need to use the Quality Standard Mark on packaging.

M&S M&S is exemplary in the accuracy and nature of its origin labelling. The audited figure for bacon in November is disappointingly low (only 33 percent British) and a big drop from the July and September Porkwatch phases.

BUDGENS: Consistently a top two performer in every category.

HARD DISCOUNTERS - ALDI, LIDL, NETTO: Currently there is not much British pork in any of these hard discounters, although about a third of Netto’s range is British. Aldi has a ham range that is more British than Asda, and Lidl’s bacon range scores higher than Somerfield. There is a tendency even for the hard discounters to broaden their premium foods offer and this may offer some opportunities for British raw material in 2007.

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