Morrisons under fire for Australian and NZ lamb promotion

Morrisons is under fire for running a promotion for imported lamb despite a commitment to sell 100% British lamb.

The supermarket is currently running a promotion of lamb legs under the Morrisons Market Deals brand, offering Australian and New Zealand lamb at discounted prices.   

The NFU hit has out at the retailer, saying it was “extremely disappointed” that Morrisons high profile commitment to consumers had slipped just a week before Christmas.

Promotion at odds with Morrisons’ usual support for British farming

NFU livestock board chairman Charles Sercombe said:

“Morrisons has traditionally been a strong backer of the British livestock industry and much of its messaging to shoppers is centred around being 100% British on all fresh meat.

“We appreciate that Morrisons purchases around 750,000 lambs every year, but it’s a real shame that the retailer is now – despite its commitments to consumers – stocking imported product under a Morrisons own brand.

“It’s even more surprising as just yesterday Morrisons’ corporate sourcing director, Alex Brown, told the Efra Select Committee enquiry into farmgate prices that the retailer stocks 100% British on fresh meat.

“There is obviously a demand for British lamb at this time of year so I would urge Morrisons to be clear to customers about what its commitments are, and what consumers are buying and where it comes from.”

Morrisons responds

A Morrisons spokesperson said:

“We are committed to offering British lamb 52 weeks a year.  However, there are a small number of occasions when we have to top-up with overseas lamb to meet customers’ needs.

“Right now, we are slaughtering just as many British lambs as we did last year and continue to work with our 1,500 lamb suppliers.”