The Co-operative Food has ramped up the amount of chicken sourced from Scotland sold in its Scottish stores.
In what is seen as a big boost for the Scottish poultry industry, the vast majority of the fresh primary chicken* sold in the almost 400 Co-operative Food stores across the country will have been reared in Scotland and the products will carry the Saltire in order to clearly inform customers of their origin.
The move is part of the Co-op’s wider local sourcing strategy which will see it introduce a wide range of Scottish produce later in the year.
Michael Fletcher, Trading Director at the Co-operative Food said: “Our shoppers in Scotland want to know that the chicken they are buying is Scottish, so at the heart of our local sourcing policy is a commitment to be open and honest about where the food we sell comes from and to ensure that is it marketed and promoted in a fair and transparent way.
“We know our customers want to support local suppliers and we want to make that as easy as possible for them so whenever it is possible we will sell Scottish chicken.”
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and the Environment Richard Lochhead said: “This new commitment by the Co-op is a great vote of confidence in Scottish farming and local sourcing. This is also a welcome boost for our poultry sector.
We know consumers value products from this country which have a world-renowned reputation for their high quality and traceability.
“Scotland is taking steps towards becoming a Good Food Nation, and one of the things we can do to achieve that is take advantage of the quality, local produce we have available to us. By doing this, retailers and consumers are giving Scotland’s farming sector a massive boost and I would encourage more people to follow this lead.”
* c.80% of the Co-op Scottish range will be sourced through Scottish farmers and all other fresh primary chicken will still be British.
