News
7th October 09
10/7/2009
Ulster Unionist Assembly member for Fermanagh & South Tyrone, Tom Elliott MLA would like shoppers in our major supermarkets to be aware that a report by Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), which indicates that only 68% of fresh beef on
Ulster Unionist Assembly member for Fermanagh & South Tyrone, Tom Elliott MLA would like shoppers in our major supermarkets to be aware that a report by Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), which indicates that only 68% of fresh beef on Sainsburys shelves was British and even worse was ASDA, which showed only 45% was British.
Tom said: "The research shows M&S, Lidl, the Co-Op and Waitrose are 100% dedicated to beef produced within the UK and contributing to the maintenance of future supplies but the same cannot be said for ASDA & Sainsbury who seem to be content to purchase cheaper meat from the Irish Republic and sell as a British product. This is one reason that I am supporting the Conservative honest food campaign which I would like to have all large supermarkets signed up to.
This is not good for the industry on both sides of the border, because farmers in ROI are complaining bitterly that their slaughter cattle averages had fallen £135 a head compared with this time last year and are accusing these powerful processors of deliberating crashing the ROI prices so that favourable discount on beef from the ROI into the UK can continue
The current position of ASDA and Sainsbury’s where they are able to play the two national markets so that they benefit at the expense of beef farmers in both Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic and the consumer should be challenged and shoppers urged to buy their meat in the supermarkets who source their meat 100% in the UK. Quite simply what these large retailers are doing is mixing large volumes of discounted beef from the ROI with more expensive beef produced within the UK. If ASDA & Sainsbury’s paid a fair price for the beef they buy from the ROI, cattle prices in the UK would soon increase"
Back to other news articles...
