Speciality Food - October 2025

8 Majority of UK adults willing to pay more for high welfare, British meat A YouGov poll carried out for RSPCA has demonstrated the UK shoppers recognise the value of meat produced to high welfare standards, and are willing to pay more for it than for cheaper imports. @specialityfood a product with a higher-welfare label, you help ensure farmed animals live better lives. “With this one simple choice, you’re saying no to cages, no to fast- growing chickens, no to inadequate enrichment and bedding, no to routine antibiotic usage andmore. You’re also protecting those British farmers who adhere to higher-welfare standards fromunfair competition from cheaper, lower‑welfare imports.” The survey found that 62% of British consumers are prepared to pay the higher prices demanded by products which have welfare markers on their labels – for example, free range, organic and RSPCA Assured – and 38% would go elsewhere if a retailer did not offer high welfare British- produced options. Charlotte Thomas, regional assessment manager at RSPCA Assured, said, “Every time you choose New EU deal set to benefit food sector The Government has announced its Plan for Change mission which includes improving agrifood trade with the EU. Food and drink businesses which export to the UK will benefit from an SPS agreement which is set to add £5.1bn to the UK economy annually and increase the volume of exports to the UK by 16%. The new agreement includes measures to cut costs and red tape on products such as dairy, eggs, red meat and fish to make it easier for British businesses to trade with EU countries, grow exports, create jobs and make supply chains more resilient – helping to reduce pressure on prices. Over 1,500 UK products are currently affected by SPS measures including 100% documentary checks and up to 30% physical checks, but this update will mean that these routine SPS border checks will be eliminated – a boon to businesses like Neal’s Yard Dairy which cannot afford delays due to the perishable nature of its products. David Lockwood, director at Neil’s Yard Dairy, said, “Neal’s Yard Dairy looks forward to the UK and EU implementing the UK-EU ‘reset’ agreement as quickly as possible to allow us to focus our core business: selecting, maturing and selling British cheese both within the UK and overseas. “The additional requirements for export to the EU post-Brexit have cost our business inmany ways. Amajor impediment is the requirement that our EU bound shipments have health certificates for cheese signed off by official veterinarians; this has doubled the time between customers ordering and receiving goods, a very effective cost inflater and sales killer. The removal of this non-tariff trade barrier is greatly anticipated.” Farmers named second most respected profession According to the NFU’s latest Farmer Favourability survey, UK shoppers value farmers’ role in supplying high quality food, caring for animals and protecting the countryside. For the third year in a row, farmers have been named as Britain’s second most respected profession, below nurses. The results from the survey showed that 92% of Britons recognise the value of the UK’s productive farming sector; 89% believe that farmers should grow as much food as possible to support national food security; more than three-quarters trust British food more than food produced overseas; and over half feel that the role farmers play in society is underappreciated. Tom Bradshaw, NFU president, said, “British farming is the bedrock of the country’s largest manufacturing sector – food and drink – worth over £150 billion to the economy and supporting more than four million jobs. Just as we rightly celebrate the strength of our food and drink sector, we must also recognise and invest in the people who make it possible: our farmers and growers.”