MORRISONS LENDS A HELPING HAND TO STRUGGLING BRITISH PIG FARMERS
Morrisons is lending a helping hand to struggling pig farmers by reducing the price our customers pay for pork and increasing the amount of meat we prepare. The measures are aimed at helping to alleviate the current pressures faced by pig farmers.
Morrisons is cutting the price of seasonal cuts of pork – such as joints, chops, bellies and steaks – to encourage customers to support farmers and buy more pork products.
Throughout November, the following special prices will be running across Morrisons Market Street counters:
Britain is a significant exporter of pork. However, in recent months a labour shortage of skilled workers, as well as increased difficulties in exporting, has left the industry with a growing backlog of pork.
Morrisons understands the issues faced by farmers because we are a producer of meat as well as a retailer. Alongside the industry, in recent weeks, we have already changed our meat cuts because stock is growing larger on farms before reaching our meat preparation sites.
We have also invested in automating our sites and are adopting new ways of working to enable us to take up to 3,000 more animals per week. In addition, to speed up the process and get pork to our customers quickly, our in-store butchers will now be receiving more bone-in pork joints from our own sites – and then using their skills to finish the products ready for customers in store.
Morrisons is committed to only selling 100% fresh British meat. As the only major UK supermarket with our own meat preparation sites, we are continuing to invest in our butchers – both in our sites and stores. This September, 75 colleagues joined our 18 month butchery apprenticeship programme.
In addition to supplying pork to our own stores, throughout November our meat sites will also be supporting the wider pig industry by supplying additional pork for sale outside of Morrisons. This meat will either be exported outside of the UK or sold domestically to smaller butchers as whole carcasses.
Sophie Throup, Head of Agriculture at Morrisons, said: “The British pig industry is struggling at the moment. As a meat producer as well as a retailer we believe we are well placed to help. We will therefore be offering our customers great deals on pork throughout the month, as well as trying to help the whole industry to prepare more meat.”
Rob Mutimer, Chairman of The National Pig Association, said: “The National Pig Association is delighted that Morrisons continues to support the British pig sector with their proactive approach in finding solutions to help alleviate the significant difficulties our farmers still face. Anything retailers can do to promote British pork to their customers is warmly welcomed.”
Morrisons is British farming’s biggest supermarket customer with our own Livestock and Produce Teams. We work directly with farmers, and take meat, fruit and vegetables direct from farms to our meat, fruit and vegetable preparation sites around the UK