UK retailers displayed less British pork in March, says AHDB PorkWatch survey
Calls for UK grocers to support the British pork industry have not been taken up as data from AHDB’s PorkWatch survey shows that retailers displayed less British pork in March 2021.
26 April 2021
4 minute read
By: The PorkWatch survey shows that retailers were displaying 2% less fresh pork in grocery cases in March 2021 compared to January 2021. Of the supermarkets surveyed, 79% of the pork on display was British, but these levels varied significantly between retailers.
AHDB analysis for March shows that 47% of ASDA’s fresh pork was British, compared to 55% in January. Tesco’s displays fell to 52% from 55% in January 2021.
Other retailers like Morrisons, Aldi, Budgens, Co-op, Lidl, Sainsbury’s and Marks & Spencer continued to stock 100% British pork.
At a Defra roundtable for pork producers, processors and retailers, National Pig Association (NPA) chief executive Dr Zoe Davies said, “Retailers at the roundtable event were supportive and said that demand for British pork was currently strong, so if processors could provide the product, they would sell it."
"To see the proportion of British pork on display at Asda and Tesco actually falling in March is particularly disappointing," she added.
"The NPA will continue to keep the pressure on retailers to support the industry and source more British pork, but not at the expense of British pig prices,” Dr Davies said.
