Tesco commits to UK sourced meat

Speaking at the National Farmers Union (NFU) conference yesterday, Tesco chief executive, Philip Clarke, admitted “customers don’t like what they’ve been hearing about how some of the meat they put on their plates is produced”.

Mr Clarke went on to say that he wants to create a supply chain that customers can understand, and set out the vision of a “bright future” for British agriculture with the promise of a “sincere commitment” to source meat closer to home.

Currently, all Tesco branded beef – fresh, frozen and in ready meals – is from the British Isles and from July all Tesco fresh chicken will come from UK farms, with no exceptions.

Mr Clarke summed up: “What we are working to achieve is transparency: transparent relationships with our suppliers and transparent relationships with our customers.

“To achieve transparency in our supply chain, we are therefore undertaking a root and branch review of how it works.”

In the weeks ahead the group will be appointing an agriculture director to ensure that the UK farming industry has a single point of contact with the store.