Tesco, the UK’s largest supermarket, has become the latest retailer to support the campaign backed by Burnley and Padiham’s MP Antony Higginbotham which is calling on supermarkets to implement an online ‘Buy British’ button.
In August 2023 Antony and over 120 other MPs signed an open letter calling on supermarkets to highlight the very best of British produce by implementing a ‘Buy British’ section online to make it easier for people to buy homegrown produce.
The letter, written by Dr Luke Evans MP, stated ‘Our ask is simple, create a tab that collates produce from farmers,’ citing consumer choice, environmental benefits and support for farmers as reasons to make the change.
Following a string of successes, Tesco’s have now followed Morrisons, Aldi, Sainsbury’s, Ocado, Co-op and Waitrose by launching their own ‘Best of British’ section online which the retailer’s Chief Commercial Officer says “[brings] together over 500 hundred quality, affordable British products to choose from.”
Antony Higginbotham MP said
It’s brilliant to see Britain’s biggest supermarket support our campaign for a ‘Buy British’ button online, bringing the total to seven major national supermarkets which reach millions of customers across the United Kingdom!
The aim of the ‘Buy British’ tab is simple; to make it even easier for shoppers in Burnley and Padiham to buy homegrown produce, which has the dual bonus of helping to protect our environment while supporting Britain’s farmers.
I hope ASDA follow suit soon.
David Exwood, NFU Deputy President, said:
We know from our own independent research that the public want to buy more British food from retailers which is why it is good news to see Tesco join six other supermarkets to add a buy British section on its website.
We have been championing this important issue since 2016 and today’s news is a fantastic result for the campaign organised by Dr Luke Evans MP. It offers shoppers a direct way to support their local farms and buy homegrown produce.
Ashwin Prasad, Tesco’s Chief Commercial Officer, said:
Supporting British farmers, growers and suppliers remains critical to ensuring we have a robust food industry here in the UK, and we count ourselves as proud champions of British agriculture, striving to source produce from the UK wherever possible.
Our customers share our love for British produce, and we want to do all we can to make it as easy to find as possible, no matter how they shop with us, so we’re thrilled to be launching our Best of British page on our groceries website, bringing together over 500 hundred quality, affordable British products to choose from.
