NPA has voiced concern over whether or not Tesco’s recently announced takeover of the Booker food wholesale chain could have a “negative impact on pig producers”.
The £3.7bn takeover, which has been described as creating the UK’s leading food business, has raised questions within NPA over the impact of such a “concentration of power”.
“We will seek assurance this does not create greater imbalance in the supply chain,” said NPA chief executive Zoe Davies.
NPA vice chairman, Richard Longthorp, pointed out that Budgens and Londis, which are both part of the new deal, had different approaches to the stocking of British pork.
Budgens, he said, were historically good supporters of British pork, while Londis was an ‘Aldi/Lidl type operation’ and more focused at the convenience store end of the range.