Soul Searching Urged On Scots Food

Food retailers are being urged to do some soul searching'' and look at whether they can do more to get Scottish produce on the shelves over the next five years.

Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead laid down the challenge in an address at the AGM of the National Farmers' Union (NFU) Scotland.

He also called on consumers to do their bit to make sure that more Scottish products are among the top sellers in stores by 2020.

During the speech, Mr Lochhead announced three initiatives to encourage people to look for local food and ensure more local produce is on offer.

He confirmed a forthcoming meeting with supermarket bosses, an allocation of £500,000 over three years to help Scottish producers get their products to retailers, and a marketing campaign to promote local and seasonal food.

Mr Lochhead said: Here in Scotland we produce some of the very best food and drink, with excellent national and local delicacies enjoyed by many. But all too often, they are not stocked in Scotland. I will be in talks with retailers to agree steps they will take to transform their approach to local sourcing in 2015.

But 2015 should just be a start. Let me lay down a clear challenge to our retailers today. I want them to do some soul searching and think about whether there is more they should be doing to back the Scottish economy and secure food production in this country.

My challenge is this: let's set ourselves a target of five years and make sure that by then, for items made in Scotland, Scottish products should dominate our shelves.

We can do it for red meat - why not for elsewhere?''

But it's not just retailers who have a role to play, Mr Lochhead added.

We will be running a nation-wide marketing campaign starting later this month to encourage consumers to eat local, in-season food,'' he said.

Our Look for Local campaign needs all our voices. We should shout from the rooftops about our great produce and expect all parts of the supply chain to do the same.''