Morrisons Pledge to Back British Farming

The NPA welcomes the news that Morrisons has pledged to support British farmers by choosing not to adopt fake farm names on its fresh meat and vegetables after a backlash by the National Farmers’ Union and concerns raised by its shoppers.

Morrisons announced its intention on #Farm24 day, which is it is sponsoring and after  70% of adults said in a survey that they objected to the use of fictitious farm brands and only wanted a genuine place or farm name on packaging and branding.

The Morrisons survey found 46% of respondents had never met a farmer, while 52% said they did not know how the food they bought was grown. According to the Office for National Statistics, 83% of the UK population live in urban areas.

Both the NFU and NPA have previously condemned fake farm brands as misleading for consumers and insulting to farmers. The most high-profile example was in March 2016 when Tesco, the UK’s largest retailer, launched seven brands - including Woodside Farms and Boswell Farms - based on British-sounding but fictitious names. Many products were imported but branded with British names to make them sound local.