Eight supermarkets sign up to help promote Scottish produce

Published on Friday 26 June 2009 10:01

ENVIRONMENT Secretary Richard Lochhead today revealed eight major supermarkets have signed an agreement with the Scottish Government to help promote Scottish produce in their stores.

And he released figures showing a 21 per cent increase in demand for Scottish food products over the past two years, despite the economic downturn.

Mr Lochhead unveiled the new retailers' charter – signed by Aldi, Asda, the Co-op, Marks & Spencer, Morrison's, Sainsbury's, Tesco and Waitrose – as he published the Scottish Government's next steps in the first-ever national food and drink strategy.

The charter commits the supermarkets to working with suppliers "to ensure there is appropriate information for consumers to help them choose Scottish products".

They also promise to help promote an affordable, healthy diet; ensure foods are produced in line with high animal welfare and environmental standards; and cut waste.

Mr Lochhead also announced action to get more Scottish food onto menus in hotels, restaurants, cafes and pubs, support for more farmers' markets, and a new strategy for the food and drink manufacturing sector to increase sales by a third to 10 billion by 2017