nicko31
Well-known member
The two biggest problems we have in the UK Food Trade is contract pricing to supermarkets, which commits our producers to long term volumes at low margin and cheap imports from the EU, as a result of animal welfare standards that are lower in some countries than the UK. e.g Bacon from Holland, Eggs from France, Belgium and Holland. Supermarkets argue that the consumer wants a consistent price and our producers are held to ransom. They negotiate a rock bottom price at the outset and are then guaranteed that for anything from 6 to 24 months, irrespective of the market. With the dairy industry, which is particularly sensitive, I would much prefer a minimum profit margin guarantee, fixed for all producers. An industry standard that all producers can use to plan long term and grow rather than be totally in the clutches of the supermarkets.
The supermarkets will be buy what consumers demand, Brits have a poor relationship with food and the worst diet in Europe. A lot of people will from Denmark because its cheap (yes lower welfare than UK) and if we get crap beef from the US in future they will buy that because its cheap
The subject of what price suppliers get is a different conservation, suppliers in both UK and Europe get screwed. Try getting a Tory government to talk to the British Retail Consortium about this...