Asda faces backlash over beef from Uruguay

British farmers have been outraged that beef from Uruguay is being stocked by supermarket Asda.

The beef steaks, sold under the Grass and Grill brand, which is owned by Hilton Foods, have been introduced recently as a new range by the retailer as a temporary line.

Hertfordshire cereal, beef, and sheep farmer Stuart Roberts said stocking the South American product was a betrayal of British farmers, a glaring hypocrisy, and misleading to consumers.

See also: Asda assures ‘no pressure’ on farmers despite price cuts

Speaking to Farmers Weekly, he said:

“It is interesting to read all the ‘wonderful’ work Asda are doing on sustainability in their beef supply chain and supporting British farmers, including the work they are doing to make suppliers jump through various sustainability hoops.

“Whilst at the same time [they are] introducing this tertiary brand, which clearly bypasses their own label commitments.”

Retailers, he said, simply cannot be allowed to benefit from the huge public support for British farming under a corporate and social responsibility banner while commercially undermining UK supply chains in this way.

© Stuart Roberts

Asda responded by saying that all their fresh beef continues to be sourced from farms in the UK and Ireland and that the country of origin is clearly labelled on the front of the packaging, allowing consumers to make informed choices.

In a statement, Asda said:

“We always look to offer customers a wide choice of products to suit all budgets.

“These steaks are provided by a branded partner and available in our stores for a limited time only.”

Wider reaction

Farmers’ Union of Wales farmer director Wyn Williams, however, stressed labelling needed to be clearer.

“Food labelling needs to be clear on the packaging and not hidden under the tray as was shown with this product,” said Mr Williams.

However, the Association of Independent Meat Suppliers (Aims) drew attention to Asda’s beef-buying policy and their commitment to keeping prices down for consumers.

Tony Goodger, head of communications at Aims, said the move reflects a shift driven by rollback and intense price competition.

“I believe this strategy, which is linked to the re-introduction of rollback and the need to compete in an aggressive price-driven market has led them, not so much to change their positioning of ‘100% of Asda’s fresh Own Brand beef is certified by Red Tractor or Bord Bia’ but to play with the semantics of the statement and to launch a branded beef steak proposition that is not aligned to own brand,” he said.

He told Farmers Weekly that it remains to be seen whether consumers buy into these two price-driven steak lines, “or whether they’d prefer to support British farmers”.