A ‘Buy British’ tab on supermarket websites, directing customers to homegrown food products, has been given backing by MPs.
More than 110 signatures have been added to an open letter from MPs to the chief executives of eight supermarkets asking for the filter to be added to their websites, making it easier for shoppers to support British farmers.
The drive has been led by Conservative MP for Bosworth, Dr Luke Evans, whose open letter said: “We hear time and time again from farmers themselves that the best way to support them is to buy British produce. By signposting shoppers, you give consumers who want to support our nation’s farmers even greater choice.”
The letter concludes: “A ‘Buy British’ button on your online store would give customers greater power in their choices, while recognising British farmers and putting supermarkets as the critical link between the two.”
Read the letter in full here.
NFU President, Minette Batters said: “We have been asking retailers to commit to signposting British produce for a number of years, so it’s great to see MPs and their constituents getting behind the idea of a ‘buy British tab’ online.
“We know from our own independent survey that 86% of the public want to buy more British food, but it is often tricky to determine what products are produced in the UK and this simple change would help shoppers do that.”
At present, most supermarkets do not have a ‘Buy British’ filter across their sites, although Sainsbury’s and Waitrose include sections for seasonal British fruit and vegetable. Sainsbury’s also has an option for customers to choose British meat and fish whilst Ocado has a ‘Best of British’ page.