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Waitrose Becomes The First Major Retailer To Switch To 100% British Bacon

Waitrose

17 June 2008

At a time of dire straits for the British pig industry, Waitrose has become the first major retailer to commit to buying all of its fresh pork and bacon from British farmers.
The retailer already sources 100% of its fresh pork and more than 90% of its bacon from the UK but plans a full scale switch to British before the end of the year.
The step is in stark contrast with the food retail industry in general which still sources large quantities of pork and bacon from overseas. Britain currently imports one third of its pork and nearly 60% of its bacon from systems which would not necessarily be legal in the UK.
The Waitrose move comes as the British pig industry faces one of the most challenging times in its history with nine out of 10 pig farmers considering quitting for good. Farmers in the UK are currently losing around £12 per pig, which is unsustainable for the industry.
Waitrose has a unique payment model for its pig farmers which takes into account the cost of production for the farmer. This ensures that they receive sustainable and stable returns.
Waitrose believes there are strong animal welfare reasons for buying British pork and bacon as the UK has superior standards to many parts of Europe, where pigs are still kept in stalls during their pregnancy. Farrowing crates are extensively used to restrain sows for periods of up to 4 weeks while suckling their piglets .
In contrast Waitrose has entirely eliminated farrowing crates*, from its Waitrose pork, bacon, sausage and British cooked meats. In addition all Waitrose sows spend their entire lives in free range production systems with piglets born in straw filled arcs.
Natalie Mitchell, Senior Meat Buyer at Waitrose, said:
“British pig farmers produce some of the world’s best pork – and they need our support now more than ever before. It would be an absolute travesty if Britain were to lose one of its finest farming industries at a time when Britain is sourcing large quantities of bacon from abroad. Our decision to source all of our own label fresh pork, bacon and sausages from the UK sends out a strong vote of support to British pig farmers who are experiencing very difficult trading conditions .”
Stewart Houston, Chairman of both the National Pig Association and the British Pig Executive said:
“This is very good news for the British pig industry and Waitrose is to be congratulated for the move. The tangible support Waitrose has shown for the British pig industry is most welcome in these difficult times. That support manifests itself in the innovative buying policy which maximises the value of the pig throughout the supply chain and it is something we believe should be adopted more widely. Once again Waitrose has taken the lead.”
Earlier this year Waitrose Food Illustrated launched the Save Our Bacon Campaign – backed by a host of celebrity chefs and restaurateurs – encouraging consumers to buy British and to pay a fair price for the pork and bacon they buy.