Porkwatch: Which retailers are backing British pig farmers?
9th Mar 2022 / By Alistair Driver
The January AHDB Porkwatch survey showed relatively healthy overall support for fresh British pork among the biggest 11 UK retailers, but, as always, there is plenty of room for improvement.
Among the individual retailers, Co-op and M&S led the way, with Waitrose and Sainsbury’s also supportive across all categories and Aldi and Morrisons good for the main part.
Among the big retailers, Tesco and Asda have the greatest scope for buying more British pork products, particularly with more British pigs expected to move through the system over the coming weeks and months. Both showed some signs of improvement, however.
Pork
Overall, 80% of pork on display was British, similar to the November survey and slightly down on a year ago.
Aldi, Co-op, Lidl, M&S, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose all stocked 100% British pork, with Budgens dropping to 95%.
Following a big improvement in November, Asda’s British pork facings were up three further percentage points to 59%, its highest level for a year. Tesco was up slightly to 57%, but down on last year, while Iceland was slightly improved at 26%.
Bacon
British bacon facings, at 55%, were slightly up across the board on November and a year ago, with Co-op and M&S the only two retailers on 100%, followed by Waitrose, 91%, and Sainsbury’, which showed a big increase to 80%.
Aldi (51%) and Tesco (41%) showed improvement, but Asda was down on November at 36%, Budgens was down to 39%, Lidl was down to 25%, with Iceland on just 6%.
Ham
British ham, at 66%, was also up on November and a year ago, with Co-op the only retailer at 100%, with Waitrose, M&S and Sainsbury’s in the 90s. Tesco improved significantly to 65%, but Asda was down at just 30%.
Sausage
British sausage facings were stable at 86%, with Aldi and M&S on 100% and Co-op, Lidl and Waitrose above 90%, and Asda and Tesco up slightly to 86% and 84% respectively.
January Porkwatch survey: Percentage of British facings (% points change on Nov)
Pork Bacon Ham Sausage
Aldi 100 (+4) 51 (nc) 85 (nc) 100 (nc)
Asda 59 (+3) 36 (-4) 30 (+1) 86 (+3)
Budgens 95 (-5) 36 (-4) 54 (+11) 67 (-5)
Co-op 100 (nc) 100 (nc) 100 (+5) 90 (+5)
Iceland 26 (+4) 6 (-5) 26 (-3) 57 (-2)
Lidl 100 (+1) 25 (-2) 45 (+1) 92 (nc)
M&S 100 (nc) 100 (nc) 98 (+2) 100 (nc)
Morrisons 100 (nc) 54 (-2) 65 (-1) 80 (nc)
Sainsburys 100 (nc) 80 (+14) 92 (nc) 88 (nc)
Tesco 57 (+1) 41 (+3) 65 (+6) 84 (+1)
Waitrose 100 (nc) 91 (-2) 93 (+6) 97 (-1)
Total 80 (nc) 55 (+1) 66 (+3) 86 (nc)
#PorkReport
The NPA is currently running a #PorkReport social media campaign, highlighting good and bad practice in retailers when it comes to stocking and displaying and clear labelling.
How you can take part: When visiting your local supermarket, take a picture of the pork on the shelves.
You can post your images and any comment on your own social media accounts, tagging NPA and the retailer, and using #PorkReport.
Alternatively, you can send the images and location to the NPA - – and it will be posted on the @GBpork account.
Here are some examples:
NPA comment
NPA chief executive Zoe Davies said: “The NPA is calling on retailers to do more to support British pig businesses, many of which are on the brink of collapse.
“The next few weeks and months should see more British pork coming through the system as efforts are stepped up to clear the backlog, at a time when EU pork is becoming shorter in supply and more expensive.
“This is, therefore, a huge opportunity for all of our retailers to step up, stock more British pork, and actively promote it to their customers, backed by clear labelling. We also desperately need retailers to review what they are paying their processors to help struggling British pig producers get through this incredibly difficult period.
“As always, we thank those retailers who are supporting British pig producers and urge all retailers, particularly Tesco and Asda, who could be doing better, to take a long-term view and do everything in their powers to ensure the survival of the British pig industry.”