Waitrose and Co-Op back campaign to highlight the homegrown
THE Co-op and Waitrose have joined the ranks of food retail giants promoting homegrown produce online.
It represents another success for a campaign launched last year by Bosworth MP Dr Luke Evans.
Morrisons, Aldi, Sainsbury’s and Ocado have all introduced Best of British sections on their websites, collating British-sourced food and drink.
The MP wrote to supermarket chief executives last year calling for the measure. His letter was signed by 126 cross-party, with his campaign also receiving the support of the government and National Farmers’ Union (NFU).
Dr Evans said: “I’m so pleased the supermarket industry has seen the value of my campaign.
“Implementing a ‘Buy British’ section online is a relatively simple change that gives consumers greater choice, supports our farmers and cuts down on unnecessary food miles.
“Better still, this hasn’t required any legislation; this is farmers, MPs, supermarkets and the public all working together – with government backing – to make a change.
“I’ll be following up with the likes of Tesco and Asda, who have yet to make the change, in the hope that they follow suit soon.”
Environment Secretary Steve Barclay said: “UK farmers produce exceptional food to world-class standards. It’s great to see British supermarkets celebrating homegrown and reared produce by making it easier for customers to back our farmers and choose British food.”
NFU deputy president David Exwood said: “It’s really pleasing to see so many supermarkets supporting Dr Luke Evans fantastic campaign and backing British farmers and growers by adding buy British sections to their websites in order to signpost shoppers to home-grown produce.
“We know from our own independent research that the public want to buy more British food from retailers and why we have been championing this important issue for some time.”
A Waitrose spokesman said: “We are really proud of our British farmers. We do a great deal to promote the care and effort they put into producing food to our customers online and in our shops.
“We back our farmers by paying them a fair price for the high standards of environmental and animal welfare standards they deliver for us and offer our customers their high quality food at great value.
“We have recently added a ‘Best of British’ section to Waitrose.com. It includes some of our products which are 100 per cent British all year round, such as fresh eggs, meat and milk. If it is a success with our customers we will consider expanding on it.”
Adele Balmforth, Co-op propositions director, said: “As a memberowned organisation, we know food provenance really matters to our member owners, and we continue our long-standing support for British farmers, growers and local suppliers, championing home-grown produce, protein and products.
“Our new Best of British page online makes it easier and quicker for our customers to buy British, which means we support local livelihoods and give customers what they want.”