Tesco, British agriculture’s biggest customer, has launched a dedicated ‘Best of British’ page on its groceries website, making it even easier for customers across the UK to shop the best British grown and produced food, and support British farmers and producers in the process.
The site will bring together more than 500 British products, including hundreds of locally produced items, allowing Tesco’s online customers to browse and pick their favourites.
Customers will be able to shop the best quality, affordable fresh produce, including fruit and vegetables, meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products, as well as browse a range of recipes inspired by traditional British favourites, including a Spring potato salad, and apple and berry crumble.
The Best of British page is the latest in a series of steps by Tesco to help support its dedicated British farmers, producers and growers.
The retailer has provided support in the wake of recent inflationary challenges and difficult weather conditions and continues to act as a key partner in tackling more long-term issues such as climate change and nature loss. Over the course of the last year, Tesco has provided additional support in the region of £75 million for its beef, lamb, pork, chicken and egg farmers.
Tesco has established a series of Sustainable Farming Groups in areas including Beef, Lamb, Dairy and Cheese, bringing together farmers, suppliers and Tesco colleagues, to help share knowledge and trial innovations that can help improve animal welfare, reduce on-farm emissions and protect biodiversity.
And in a move to support the up-and-coming generation of famers, last year Tesco launched the Future Farmer Programme in partnership with Harper Adams University’s School of Sustainable Food and Farming. The multi-year programme will help establish sustainable agriculture practices across Tesco’s supply chains.
Ashwin Prasad, Tesco’s Chief Commercial Officer, said: “Supporting British farmers, growers and suppliers remains critical to ensuring we have a robust food industry here in the UK, and we count ourselves as proud champions of British agriculture, striving to source produce from the UK wherever possible.
“Our customers share our love for British produce, and we want to do all we can to make it as easy to find as possible, no matter how they shop with us, so we’re thrilled to be launching our Best of British page on our groceries website, bringing together over 500 hundred quality, affordable British products to choose from.”
Dr Luke Evans, Member of Parliament for Bosworth, who has been instrumental in calling for more support for British farmers and growers, said: “I’m pleased to welcome Tesco to the fray. It’s great to see the UK’s largest supermarket join other major retailers in implementing an online ‘Buy British’ section which will support our farmers and give consumers greater choice.
“This is really welcome news and a step forward in supporting our nation’s food growers and producers by showcasing over 500 homegrown items, with everything from meat and vegetables to dairy products now easier to find on the ‘Best of British’ tab.”
The site showcases some of its longstanding partnerships with farmers and producers, including Tesco dairy farmers, Amie and Chris Lovatt, who are part of the Tesco Sustainable Dairy Group (TSDG), which guarantees all of Tesco’s fresh milk farmers a fair price for every pint of milk they produce.
Amie Lovatt, Tesco dairy farmer, said: “We’re really proud of the fact our cows here in Cheshire provide Tesco customers with some of the best quality milk anywhere in the UK, and we’re thrilled to be part of Tesco’s new Best of British page. The farming sector has gone through some tough times recently, so it’s vital British produce continues to be championed by the likes of Tesco and others across the food industry.”
Tesco will continue to help customers identify British sourced products in its stores through signage, on pack labelling and distinctive packaging, where the retailer uses flags to emphasise the origin of products.
Support for farmers across Tesco’s Sustainable Farming Groups includes:
- The 447 British dairy farmers that make up the Tesco Sustainable Dairy Group (TSDG) continue to be paid on a cost of production+ model for the fresh milk they supply to Tesco, ensuring a consistent fair price. Tesco has paid £40 million above market price over the 2023 calendar year to TSDG farmers.
- All 117 Tesco Sustainable Lamb Group farmers are paid a bonus above the factory price for delivering against key environmental and welfare metrics.
- During 2023/24 Tesco paid £2.95 million in bonuses to its Tesco Sustainable Beef Group farmers.
- Tesco continues to invest in sustainable feed cost models, ensuring fair and transparent pricing for our own brand egg and poultry suppliers, in recognition that feed represents over 70% of their cost of production.
