FARMING MATTERS: Great British food from British farmers

New Great British Bake Off presenter Prue Leith has urged shoppers to back British farming, after the NFU's new supermarket guide showed that eight major retailers are sourcing 100% of their flour, butter and eggs from domestic producers.

The UK’s four largest retailers, Tesco, Sainsbury, Asda and Morrison, 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.

Asda, Marks and Spencer and Morrison are going further, showing commitment to British sugar beet growers by sourcing Silver Spoon granulated, caster and icing sugar in their stores.

Baking is more popular than ever with 19 per cent of people telling a Waitrose survey that they now bake at least once a week, and nearly half bake more than they did five years ago.

NFU president Meurig Raymond said: “It is fantastic to see more retailers than ever backing British farming and supporting farmers’ produce on the shelves. British food is produced to some of the highest standards in the world and deserves to be widely available.”

Prue Leith, long time support of the NFU’s Back British Farming campaign and new presenter of the Great British Bake Off, also 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 NFU’s supermarket guide can be found online at www.countrysideonline.co.uk/home/get-involved/how-to-back-british-farming/choosing-british-baking-ingredients/

As sourcing polices are continually changing the guide will be updated to best reflect the reality in-store.

Mr Raymond said: “The overall message is to buy British and the NFU’s supermarket guides aim to help provide that information.”