Retailer Aldi sells the highest proportion of fresh Irish meat labelled with the Bord Bia Quality Assurance (QA) mark compared to other retailers, according to the Irish Food Board’s quarterly supermarket survey.
Bord Bia’s retail audit showed that 90% of Aldi’s fresh meat displayed the QA mark ranking top, ahead of eight other retail chains surveyed nationwide.
Bacon; beef; burgers; chicken; cooked ham; duck; lamb; pork; rashers; sausages; and turkey products, were examined in the in-store audit.
The Bord Bia QA mark ensures customers that food products have been produced to the highest standards and that Irish farmers, processors and packaging facilities have been independently audited.
Aldi’s group buying director John Curtin said Aldi is “committed to working with Irish farmers and producers”.
The retailer seeks to grow its Irish supply base and increase the number of Irish products available in its stores. Aldi stated:
“We only source our fresh meat from farms in the Republic of Ireland that are certified under the Bord Bia Quality Assurance schemes.”
Currently, Aldi works with over 330 Irish food and drink producers and spent €1 billion with its Irish suppliers in 2021, according to the retailer.
Over €3 million was invested in its Grow with Aldi supplier development programme since 2018, which offers up-and-coming artisan Irish food and drink producers the chance to have their products listed in Aldi’s 149 stores.
Protests outside retailers
Meanwhile, protests were recently held outside retailers by pig and poultry farmers demanding price increases to suppliers due to rising costs at farm level.
Agriland previously reported that poultry farmers are calling on Irish supermarkets to increase the prices they pay for produce so that farmers can recover costs that they are being forced to absorb.
Protests were held in January outside Dunnes Stores shops in Co. Cork and Monaghan with separate ones taking place in Co. Cavan and Monaghan outside Lidl. A 15c increase per chicken and a 2c increase for eggs were demanded.