Morrisons expands Australian beef line

Fears that ongoing beef imports from Australia are undermining UK producers have deepened as retailer Morrisons has extended its Australian beef line across online and in-store outlets.

The Limited Edish brand, which includes rump, ribeye, sirloin and fillet steaks, is wholly sourced from Australian producers and carries the “Australia Made” logo on its packaging.

The brand was first introduced in June, a move which caused much industry frustration, and is understood to have been rolled out to 40 of Morrisons’ larger stores.

See also: Morrisons fuels farmer anger over lucky-dip beef steak

The Limited Edish range, sourced from Australian producers, sees the ribeye steak priced at £30 per kg, and the rump steak at £18.72 per kg.

In comparison, steaks sourced from UK farms, such as The Best Rib Eye Steak, sell for £36.48 per kg, and The Best Rump Steak is at £28.63 per kg.

Defending its sourcing decision, a Morrisons spokesperson told Farmers Weekly that the line only makes up a very small proportion of their sales (less than 2% of fresh beef) and is not sold under the Morrisons brand.

“We’re continuing to listen to customers for their feedback and we remain 100% British on all our meat counters,” the spokesperson said.

Morrisons was proud to be the “single biggest direct supermarket customer of British farming” and “continue to look at growing the overall volumes of British meat through Myton Food Group”, the spokesperson added.

More than 6,500t of beef were imported to the UK in the first five months of 2025, though under the trade agreement Australia can import 35,000 tonnes of beef tariff-free to the UK.

British meat crisis

The British Meat Processors Association (BMPA) said the crisis in the British meat and livestock industry, caused by government policies that discourage food production, is now showing up on supermarket shelves. 

“If we can’t source enough home-grown produce, we become more reliant on imports,” said BMPA chief executive Nick Allen.

Such reliance, he said, can disrupt the UK food supply chains in two ways.

“When supply is plentiful, overseas product outcompetes British beef,” Mr Allen explained.

“In the case of Australia, where a bad trade deal means they will eventually be able to send over a virtually unlimited amount of high-value beef cuts, this will displace British farmers and force more to give up production,” he added.

However, he warns that if global supply becomes limited in the future, the UK will be dependent on overseas markets due to “the hollowing out of our domestic farming industry through cheap imports”.

Disappointing move

The decision was branded a disappointment by NFU livestock chair David Barton. ” It’s deeply concerning and disappointing to see Morrisons move away from its previous commitment to sourcing British produce,” he said.

Mr Barton added that over the past year, the industry has heard warm words from almost every major retailer pledging support for British farmers.

“Decisions to renege on sourcing commitments erode trust and damage farmer confidence at a time when the sector continues to face challenges and increased global insecurity,” he added.