MP welcomes Aldi’s agreement to promote British produce

Devon’s Liberal Democrat MP Richard Foord has welcomed the news that Aldi has agreed to establish a ‘Best of British’ section to help promote home-grown produce in their stores.

The announcement from Aldi comes after another leading supermarket Morrisons announced in December that they would introduce a ‘Buy British’ section, following pressure from Richard Foord and a cross-party group of MPs.

Richard Foord recently spoke in Parliament about the importance of ensuring “fair play” between supermarkets and farmers. He called for actions to be taken to beef-up the Groceries Code Adjudicator, so it can crack down on wayward practices.

Aldi is one of the top supermarkets in the country, with 80% of its produce being grown here in the UK and the company has held the top spot in the Groceries Supplies Code of Practice annual survey for an unprecedented ten years – due in part to its fairness to farmers.

In the wake of this news, Richard Foord is now calling for other supermarkets to follow suit and give British produce the pride of place it deserves.

Richard Foord MP said:

“Here in the UK, we produce some of the best produce in the world. Devon’s farmers are well known for their quality and commitment to high standards.

“That is why it’s so welcome to see another big supermarket has now heeded my push for a specific section dedicated to promoting our home-grown goods. I am looking forward to seeing these sections in the Cullompton, Seaton and Honiton stores.

“Farmers often get a rough deal from the supermarkets, with many retailers focusing on paying rock bottom prices to pad their profits. This simply isn’t good enough.

“We need to see fair play and a fair deal between producers and retailers, with a commitment to delivering quality goods at a fair price. That is why I support improving the current regulator.

“I hope other supermarkets across our market towns will also follow suit and value the work of local farmers by showcasing their products.”