A straightforward consumer-focused quality standard is under development to give Marks and Spencer an edge when it comes to meat sales.
The scheme, with the working title Project Green Pastures, was launched to farmers at this week’s Royal Highland Show and will be further developed throughout the UK’s show season. It will cover the retailer’s protein category from red meat to chicken and fish.
M& S said the project, which builds on its current assurance schemes, had been developed to cover four major areas of consumer concern - animal welfare, food safety, care for the environment and social responsibility.
Paul Willgoss, head of
agriculture, said M& S had conducted consumer research to find out what people were most concerned about when it came to animal production.
M&S is proposing to offer farmers the opportunity to take responsibility for meeting the standards rather than simply being told what they have to do.
“What we’re saying is they’re the experts on farming. This allows them to get on with it.”
He said the retailer’s job was to communicate the concept effectively to the consumers.
With CAP reform also on the horizon, he said the shift in focus on to the consumer would also help farmers focus more on the end market.
He said the standards had been developed in conjunction with selected suppliers and various experts in the different areas of concern.
“We’re now going into phase two which means sitting down with our farmers over the next few months and going over what the practicalities are.”
He said M&S was hoping to complete the process before the autumn and was planning to talk to 3,000 farmers.
He said the concept was unlikely to add any further significant costs to production.
Ed Bedington
The scheme, with the working title Project Green Pastures, was launched to farmers at this week’s Royal Highland Show and will be further developed throughout the UK’s show season. It will cover the retailer’s protein category from red meat to chicken and fish.
M& S said the project, which builds on its current assurance schemes, had been developed to cover four major areas of consumer concern - animal welfare, food safety, care for the environment and social responsibility.
Paul Willgoss, head of
agriculture, said M& S had conducted consumer research to find out what people were most concerned about when it came to animal production.
M&S is proposing to offer farmers the opportunity to take responsibility for meeting the standards rather than simply being told what they have to do.
“What we’re saying is they’re the experts on farming. This allows them to get on with it.”
He said the retailer’s job was to communicate the concept effectively to the consumers.
With CAP reform also on the horizon, he said the shift in focus on to the consumer would also help farmers focus more on the end market.
He said the standards had been developed in conjunction with selected suppliers and various experts in the different areas of concern.
“We’re now going into phase two which means sitting down with our farmers over the next few months and going over what the practicalities are.”
He said M&S was hoping to complete the process before the autumn and was planning to talk to 3,000 farmers.
He said the concept was unlikely to add any further significant costs to production.
Ed Bedington
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