Price war leads to loss of pig processing plant

The announcement that Grampian Country Foods is to close its pig processing plant in the north-east town of Buckie, with the loss of 330 jobs, is a direct result of a retailer price war, according to NFU Scotland president John Kinnaird.

Grampian, with an annual global turnover of 1.7bn, announced last week that it will close the Buckie factory in October as part of a restructuring programme. Investment will now be concentrated on its Broxburn plant near Edinburgh, and will create 200 jobs.

“This is another visible casualty of a retailer price war, where victory is judged by pounds in the tills and what market share they can snatch off each other,” said Mr Kinnaird.

Grampian Country Foods has assured farmers in the north-east that their pigs will be needed to supply the Broxburn factory.