The new Great British Bake Off presenter Prue Leith has urged shoppers to back British farming.
Prue Leith, long-time supporter of the National Farmers' Union's (NFU) Back British Farming campaign and new presenter of the Great British Bake Off, urged shoppers to buy British.
She said: “UK butter, flour and eggs are all easily available and choosing them really helps our fantastic farmers. So let’s make the effort to buy British.”
The National Farmers' Union (NFU) new supermarket guide shows the public that eight major retailers are backing British baking by sourcing 100% of their flour, butter and eggs from domestic producers.
The UK’s four largest retailers Tesco, Sainsbury’s, ASDA and Morrisons are joined by the Co-op, Waitrose, Lidl and Marks and Spencer in demonstrating their commitment to British baking by giving shoppers the choice of home-grown flour, butter and eggs to use in their baked goods.
In addition, Asda, Marks and Spencer and Morrisons are going further by showing total commitment to backing British sugar beet growers by sourcing Silver Spoon granulated, caster and icing sugar in their stores.
A survey has shown that baking is more popular than ever, with 19% of people saying they now bake at least once a week and nearly half baking more than they did five years ago.
'Highest standards in the world'
NFU President Meurig Raymond said: “It is fantastic to see more retailers than ever backing British farming and supporting our farmers produce on the shelves. British food is produced to some of the highest standards in the world and deserves to be widely available.
“We know that shoppers want to buy more British produce and the aim of our supermarket guide is to give them the information they need to do that. I’m sure the public will be delighted to know that retailers are giving them the opportunity to buy more British products by getting behind the nation’s farmers.”
While there is strong support for backing British flour, butter and eggs, only M&S have committed to use 100% British sugar in their own brands. Aldi have said they will look at their British flour offering.
The second instalment of the supermarket guide produced by the NFU asked nine major retailers, six of whom have signed the Back British Farming charter, where they source their produce and what percentage that accounts for on the shelves, providing the public with the information they need to help them to buy British.
