A number of leading retailers have come under fire for opting to stock imported lamb instead of home-produced product.
NFU Scotland’s livestock committee chairman, Charlie Adam, has written to Tesco, Asda, Waitrose and the Co-op who routinely sell imported lamb asking them when they plan to start stocking only Scottish lamb in their stores.
“For those retailers who regularly stock imported lamb, we want to know when they are planning to switch to domestic lamb this year. Some of the largest retailers in Scotland fail to stock domestic lamb exclusively during periods when supplies of our lamb are more than sufficient to meet demand,” said Mr Adam, who farms at Braeside, Cushnie, Alford.
“We are urging them to work together with the industry to bolster the profile of our lamb. Extending their season for domestic lamb by a few weeks at the start or the end of the season would make a huge difference to Scottish sheep producers.”
He praised retailers who stock Scottish lamb year round – Morrison’s, Lidl and Aldi – and said he had written to them to thank them for their consistent support to industry.
He was also in praise of Marks and Spencer, which, in conjunction with the union, has decided to extend its season for buying UK lamb into the new year to help boost demand for later maturing hill breeds such as the Blackface, Shetland and Cheviot.
“We appreciate M&S’s move and we will work with any retailer looking to extend their lamb season,” added Mr Adam.
“That said, retailers like Morrisons, Lidl and Aldi show that a year-round commitment to offering quality Scottish lamb is achievable, is valued by Scottish shoppers, and is something that we would want to see all retailers strive towards.”