Morrisons has announced it will ditch its commitment to source only British lamb as part of a new trial, with the sector calling it 'hugely disappointing' news.
The retailer, which is seen as a significant supporter of British farming, has dropped its pledge to sell only British lamb, albeit on a trial basis.
The retailer brought in its British-only commitment to lamb in 2017 and has traditionally been a strong supporter of the British livestock industry.
NFU's Livestock Board said the news was 'hugely disappointing' and came at a 'challenging time' for livestock farmers.
Board chair David Barton said: “British sheep farmers and shoppers will be incredibly disappointed that Morrisons has dropped its commitment.
"The retailer has built its reputation on British-only sourcing and supported British farmers through its fully integrated supply chain.
“This comes at a time when the livestock sector is already under pressure from the impacts of the unprecedented wet weather."
Mr Barton said that it was 'all the more disappointing' that British lamb would likely be replaced by products from overseas with 'significant food miles and produced to potentially lower standards'.
“British lamb is a high-welfare, sustainable, delicious product and we know that shoppers trust its quality and high-production standards," he added.
“British food is some of the best in the world and it’s important this is recognised, especially in times of enormous challenge.
"We hope that this trial by Morrisons is temporary and concludes with a return to 100% British lamb sourcing as soon as possible.”
Recently, the UK's farming unions wrote to the CEO of Morrisons and other top retailers seeking support for the industry.
This included a commitment to local sourcing in order to maintain food production across the UK and to safeguard national food security.
