BRIT MEAT ONLY FOR THE CO-OP

Cheap imports get chopped

THE Co-op is backing British farmers by banning meat from abroad.

And the retailer claims it will be the first major chain to switch all fresh meat, including ready meals and sandwiches, to be 100% British.

Its plan is to cut back on import costs, which have doubled to more than £6billion a year over the last 20 years.

British farmers who operate to high animal welfare standards have been undercut by foreign breeders, who are less rigorous.

The move comes after research shows that more than half of UK shoppers want to help British brands and products after the Brexit vote.

Co-op bosses are now urging the other supermarkets to follow their lead. And ® they have slammed other stores’ use of flags and posters to back British farming as little more than window dressing.

Imports are currently more expensive because of the falling pound.

But more than £5bn of meat is being shipped in from other EU countries, with just under a third of meat arriving in the UK from Ireland.

Head of the National Pig Association, Zoe Davies, said: “Around half of the pork consumed in the UK is imported.

“Fluctuating currency markets and imports, which are cheaper because of lower welfare standards, can significantly impact the cost of home-produced pork, making it harder for farmers to make a living.”