Just 16% of pork being sold on Scots supermarket shelves has been sourced in Scotland, it has been revealed.

It comes as the National Farmers Union in Scotland named and shamed Tesco and Asda over a failure to support either Scottish and British pork by putting the meat on their shelves.

The NFUS said that its latest "shocking" intelligence figures show just 16% of pork on supermarket shelves is Scottish and 57% was British.

Both Asda and Tesco were criticised as the survey found that less than half of the fresh pork on sale in their stores in Scotland was either British or Scottish.

Its March shelfwatch survey of Scottish stores found that as little as 21% of pork sold at Asda was marked either British or Scottish.  At Tesco it was 47%.

At Morrisons and Aldi, all stocked pork was either British or Scottish while at Lidl it was 97% and at Sainsburys it was 92%.

The NFUS says there is "huge frustration" over the "void" between major supermarkets when it comes to stocking Scottish and British pork on their shelves compared to their commitment to beef and lamb.

NFUS said that while supermarket chains such as Co-op, Morrison’s, Aldi and Lidl are 100 per committed to Scottish or British pork or have a strong presence of home-produced products others, particularly Tesco and Asda, "continue to fall well short" of what farmers and consumers would expect.

The union said that Scottish pork production has faced disruption due to Covid-19 and exports have been made more challenging due to Brexit. Prices have fallen below the cost of production, exacerbated by cheaper supplies being sourced from Europe.

The NFUS said that it was "crystal clear" that both farmers and consumers deserve reassurances that British and Scottish pork will be readily available on every shop shelf.

The Herald:

NFUS president resident Martin Kennedy said of Tesco and Asda: "Both these stores have a strong public commitment to source other meats from the UK and we are asking them to mirror that commitment with pork.

“We saw similar trends earlier this year and are hugely disappointed that despite continued discussions with all major retailers we are once again reading appalling statistics about the lack of domestic pork within Tesco and Asda stores.

“In stark contrast retailers such as Co-op, Morrison’s, Aldi and Lidl should be applauded for their support of the Scottish and British pork sector. Morrrison’s have even been successfully running an instore price promotion initiative to encourage sales of pork products."

NFUS research at the beginning of February found that in the case of the Co-op, all fresh pork, as well as bacon and sausages were sourced from the UK, while Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, M&S, Lidl and Aldi were also considered as "very strong supporters of domestic production".

However, the union said the display of pork in Tesco and Asda stores was "poor".

Mr Kennedy said: “The past year has seen the consumer become more interested in the provenance of their food and sourcing Scottish or British where possible. Products from this country are of the highest standard and quality. Our farmers are proud of what they do and are pleased that consumers value what they produce. All the retailers need to step up to the plate and give the same commitment to sourcing pork as they do beef and lamb.

“NFU Scotland will remain in contact with all major retailers on the matter. It is evident that far greater support for Scottish and British pig farmers must be given by some. We will work with all retailers and other interested parties to see how domestic sourcing can be improved.

German supermarket chain Aldi promote its Scottish sourcing of pork

“The justification for major retailers to back our farmers goes far deeper than the shop shelf. With climate change remaining at the top of the agenda for the foreseeable future, sourcing local sustainable products such as Scottish or British pork will play a valuable part of the solution. That is something consumers want to see, and supermarkets must deliver.”

Research by the Scottish Farmer magazine last year found that since Covid-19, just 40% of the beef on supermarket shelves is Scotch. This figure stood at 53% in 2019.

It was estimated that just 13% of Asda’s beef range, and 9% of Sainsbury’s, was Scotch. The percentage of Scotch Lamb on our shelves also dropped dramatically from 57% to 36%.

A Tesco spokesperson said: “We're proud supporters of Scottish agriculture and are working closely with our farmers to respond to significantly higher demand for pork, bacon and cooked meats. Our sales of British pork have increased over this last year, as we all eat more meals at home.”

An Asda spokesman said: "We always want to offer our customers a selection of great value products, and have a variety of pork products for them to choose from. Over the last year we have increased our sales of British pork by a quarter and we are continuing to increase the amount of British produce on our shelves - such as our own brand sausages which are 100% British.''