Budgens to source all fresh meat in UK
Supermarket chain adapts to consumer demand
July 3 2003
Supermarket chain Budgens is to source all its own label fresh meat and poultry from UK farmers.
The change in the company’s meat sourcing policy, the first such move by a smaller retailer, is in response to increasing customer demand.
To promote the change consumers, Budgens is launching a [i]Budgens Backs British Farmers[/i] campaign to run through all its Budgens and Budgens Local stores.
The campaign will feature promotional PoS material, including shelf barkers and hanging cards. It will also appear on in-store leaflets, also delivered to 1m homes over a two week period, with special front page offers on fresh meat.
Additional marketing support includes full page national and regional press advets, campaign-branded material and in-store sampling.
The company is also repackaging all its own label fresh meat products and all new labels will continue to carry the Little Red Tractor logo.
Budgens marketing director Stephanie Rice said: “We are delighted to be able to source all our fresh meat from within the UK and we strive to use British producers wherever possible in all categories.
“All our meat is farm assured, and customer demand for British products, coupled with our versatility as a smaller store group, have enabled us to make this fundamental change in our fresh meat policy. We are proud to support the British farmer and British quality as a whole, and we hope that other retailers will follow our lead.”
NFU President, Sir Ben Gill, said: “We are extremely pleased that Budgens has decided to show their support for British agriculture and move all their fresh meat purchasing to UK produced meat. The move will allow shoppers access to the very finest, home grown produce.
“The fact that all the products are produced in accordance with the British Farm Standard is even better news for shoppers as it means they are buying food they can trust. Products carrying the Little Red Tractor logo are produced to independently inspected standards, with care for animals and the environment.”
