Sainsbury’s follows suit with online ‘British’ section
© Seventyfour/Adobe Stock Sainsbury’s has become the third UK retailer to support home-grown produce by launching a dedicated Buy British section online.
The announcement comes after rival retailers Morrisons and Aldi launched similar initiatives on their websites.
It follows a campaign launched by Conservative MP for Bosworth Luke Evans and supported by 125 cross-party parliamentarians calling on supermarkets to highlight the best of British produce by implementing Buy British sections online.
See also: Morrisons launches ‘British’ section online after campaign
Dr Evans’s open letter to supermarkets stated: “Our ask is simple, create a tab that collates produce from farmers, citing consumer choice, environmental benefits and support for farmers as reasons to make the change.”
Since the letter was published, more than 30,000 people have signed an NFU petition in support of the campaign.
NFU president Tom Bradshaw said it was “fantastic” to see more retailers getting behind Dr Evans’s campaign.
“I’m delighted that Sainsbury’s is also backing British farmers by adding a British section online in order to signpost shoppers to home-grown produce,” said Mr Bradshaw.
“The NFU’s own independent research shows the public want to buy more British food from retailers and we have been championing this issue for some time. The addition of the British section online by Sainsbury’s will help customers support British farmers.”
Conservative MP Luke Evans visits farmer and Sainsbury’s supplier Mark Strawson © Sainsbury’s
British-sourced products
The Best of British page highlights more than 450 British-sourced grocery products – including popular produce, meat, dairy and eggs – meaning customers shopping for groceries on Sainsbury’s website can now find and buy home-grown produce even more easily.
Simon Roberts, chief executive of Sainsbury’s, said: “We recognise the pressures that British farmers are facing and the importance of supporting them to maintain a resilient UK food system for the long term.
“Our relationships with farmers and suppliers are incredibly important to us and we remain committed to sourcing British as much as we can, now and in the future.”
Sainsbury’s works with more than 15,000 British farmers sourcing £2bn worth of produce every year.