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#Back British Farming Day!
#Back British Farming Day!
For back British Farming Day we headed out to see if British Produce actually backed British Farming.
We visited the local farm shop where the follow issue was first highlighted. The Union Jack on packaging does not mean that an ingreiant was grown in the UK. This was particularly prevalent with sugar throughout the shops we visited. Over half of the cane sugar products we found had the Union Jack on; when cane sugar does not grow in this country. The way manufactures are getting away with this false message is by saying a product is 'produced' in the UK. Although this does use British labour and premises, it does not use British produce, therefore it only serves as direct competition for British farming.
The issues did not stop there. The farm shop was full of foreign produce on the same shelves as british. Namely British grown pasta directly next to pasta grown in South America. Not only did this provide a choice to the consumer but it also fooled them into thinking they were both produced in-country - there was no label to say otherwise. Also, the foreign pasta was half the price of the British, channeling consumers towards the former. How is that Backing British Farming?
Our travels also took us to the local co-op where things were little better. We could not find, in any of our research trips, a cracker made from wholly British ingredients. Surprising considering that all ingredients in theory grow in this country. All we wanted was a British cracker to go with our gorgeous Red Leicester cheese we bought from the farm shop - but that was too great of an ask!
We also found that the Lincolnshire Co-op does not stock British sugar, surprising considering how close we are in Lincolnshire to the sugar beet factories - the new one opening soon. Hopefully this is something which can change and we will soon see Silverspoon on our shelves.
What impressed us most was our trip into Waitrose. Close to my heart, since we provide beef on the Dovecote Farm scheme, we found produce obviously British grown and clearly labelled. We found British produce all over the store, especially in the fruit and veg section where it took center stage. Overall it showed that the local farm shop needed to do some work on its sourcing to supply customers with what they are after - locally grown produce. After all - it is what they think they are buying.
Back British Farming Day did what it was designed to do. It made me, and anyone who would listen to me go on about it, more aware of produce that is pretending to be British - masquerading on our shelves. It also made me keen to take this further... stay posted for our Back British Farming campaign!
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