100% British not enough, farmers warn

- Published: 28 March, 2008

Simply stocking 100% British on fresh meat is not good enough if the price being paid does not improve, farming leaders have warned.

Charles Bourns, chairman of the National Farmers' Union poultry board, said while they welcomed retail pledges to go 100% British on fresh meat, it needed to be backed by strong prices.

Speaking at the launch of the NFU-commissioned supermarket meat retailing report (see page 7), he said: "Being 100% British is great, but for god's sake, let's have proper prices for products right through the range."

And, he said, it cannot all be about the top end of the market. "Premium is fine, but standard product has to be profitable as well."