Supporting British farmers
Our long-standing commitment to delivering 100% British fresh and frozen protein has helped maintain our strong farmer relationships, ensuring access to high animal welfare standards for everyone, regardless of their budget.
Co-op farming groups
Co-op farming groups and our wider sourcing policies have helped us engage directly with our hundreds of British producers and/or suppliers. As the industry changes, we’ve evolved our approach to encompass all our fresh meat and dairy supply chain. This expanded partnership improves our supply chain data, offering more detailed insights into animal welfare and the environmental impact of the products we sell.
Climate change
Our largest category of product emissions is meat and dairy production. Animal products are generally (though not always) higher in carbon compared to plant-based products. We sell a considerable amount of these products, especially fresh milk, in our convenience stores.
Our approach is to source 100% of our meat, fresh milk, fresh cream, eggs and Cheddar cheese from British farmers. We work closely with our farmers and suppliers to reduce the carbon intensity of the animal product.
Engaging farmers and producers
We have continued with farmer engagement through on-farm meetings and webinars. Our Farming & Fisheries ‘X’2 account, with nearly 5,000 followers, comprises of producers, suppliers, industry stakeholders and NGOs. It facilitates supplier interaction and promotes industry events, such as Sustainable Seafood September and Back British Farming Day.
As a key sponsor, we champion Open Farm Sunday, an annual event that enables our farmers to open their doors to the public, showcasing their remarkable contributions.
A focus on British growers
We’re deepening our commitment to British growers with a renewed focus on strengthening ties within the sector. We’re working with growers to address some of the critical challenges facing British horticulture, including climate change, labour availability and the removal of certain pesticides.
Demonstrating our support, we recently hosted a Supplier Engagement Day, bringing together farmers and growers to share best practice and collaborate on sustainable solutions. This initiative underscores our commitment to fostering a resilient, innovative and thriving future for British fresh produce.