M&S is stepping up support for British farmers facing growing challenges, from climate change and biodiversity loss to economic pressures. Alongside outlining its own plans for the sector, M&S is supporting its farmers’ calls for Government action. Specifically, a clear and concrete target to increase the proportion of food eaten in Britain that is UK-grown and reared to galvanise action. Like targets around net zero, this could help tilt the balance in farmers’ favour.
M&S is also calling for a range of actions in the Government’s Food Strategy to support farmers, including:
- Replacing complex government grants with simpler incentives and allowances.
- Reflecting our high national standards in both the food we import and the trade deals that we strike with other countries.
- Introducing apprenticeships and training schemes where businesses, schools, colleges, and universities show young people the opportunities in farming and provide them with the skills and experience to succeed.
“British farming is the backbone of our food industry and the foundation of M&S Food,” said Alex Freudmann, managing director of M&S Food. “British food is the best in the world and at M&S, we’ve invested millions to support our farmers who produce it. But the future of British agriculture can’t rest on industry alone. That’s why we’re backing our farmers in their call for government to step up – starting with a clear, legally binding target to increase the proportion of food eaten in Britain that is grown here. It’s time to turn warm words into action.”
Today, M&S launches ‘Plan A For Farming’, a strategy running to 2030 focused on British sourcing, sustainability, high standards, and resilience. The goal is to help farmers feel confident about the future, grow their businesses, and invest, ensuring M&S can continue delivering quality food to millions of families across the UK.
M&S is backing Britain as it builds on its long-standing and industry-leading commitment to British farming:
- The M&S Select Farm programme, launched 30 years ago, is a leading initiative setting the farming standards that deliver the quality customers expect, from farmers we know and trust. M&S has almost 10,000 Select Farms and commits to continue sourcing 100% of its beef, chicken, salmon, pork, whole eggs, and milk from British farmers.
- Every Christmas Turkey on M&S shelves is British and next Easter M&S will be one of the only retailers to sell only British Lamb – only possible through working closely with select farms.
- M&S is supporting UK produce farmers with investment and innovation to extend growing seasons so that British farmers can produce for longer and M&S customers can buy British for longer – examples include British asparagus, broccoli, and strawberries.
- M&S has invested more than £7m over the last decade in supporting farmers with agricultural innovation and a further £7m is available over the next five years.
M&S will further its commitment to sustainable agriculture with a commitment that by 2030, 100% of its British products will be sourced from farms using regenerative practices, delivered through:
- Farming for the Future: A five-year initiative bringing together 200 farmers and growers across the UK to tackle sustainability at farm level in a truly holistic way. Through strategic partnerships with Linking Environment and Farming (LEAF), Soil Association Exchange (SAX), and Sustainable Soils Management (SSM), M&S is providing 50 farms across the country with a fully funded package of environmental monitoring, expert advice, and practical support. Farmers will receive personalised soil, biodiversity, and carbon assessments, as well as firsthand training and digital tools. This practical support and insight will help better look after soils, protect nature, and reduce the farm’s carbon footprint to improve resilience while delivering the best quality British food. 150 farmers supported through soil courses later in the year.
As part of “Plan A for Farming” M&S is building on its industry leading farming standards over the next five years, including the following, that launch today:
- Angus Gold Standard: A leading integrated Aberdeen Angus beef standard, using a science-led Angus breeding programme, which guarantees exceptional eating quality and high welfare. Launched across two depots last week with Angus Gold steaks available in 90 stores and scaling to cover the total M&S Aberdeen Angus supply by 2028.
- Enhanced Milk Pledge: Building on M&S’ 25-year commitment to fair pricing for British dairy farmers in its milk pool, the enhanced Milk Pledge collaborates with farmers to deliver leading animal welfare requirements, regenerative farming practices and supports farms with HR and community engagement – including real-time monitoring of the health and wellbeing of the animals via AI.
These new standards support M&S’ approach to dedicated farming supply chains, collaborating with the best farmers supported with fair pricing and long-term contracts, so that they can deliver M&S quality, welfare, and environmental standards. These currently operate across Milk, Aberdeen Angus Gold, Oakham Gold, Caledonian Gold Salmon and Heritage Gold Pork and M&S will expand this over the next five years.
