Marks & Spencer has been criticised for importing potatoes from Israel and “not supporting British farmers”.
Norfolk farmer Nick Harrold slammed the retailer after spotting some of its Maris Piper Potatoes have come from over 3,000 miles away.
Harrold took to social media to tag the retailer in a snap of the potatoes on Twitter while asking: ”What’s wrong with British Piper?”
M&S responded by saying it is a supporter of British produce and will always source from the UK where it can.
Harrold explained how farmers in the UK are struggling at the moment and accused them of being behind on their contracts, and the post was met with support from hundreds of social media users.
Hi Nick. We are a massive supporter of British produce and will always source from the UK where we can. The bulk of the UK Maris Piper crop is only now being harvested and over the coming weeks, all our Maris Piper potatoes will be British. Thanks.
— M&S (@marksandspencer) September 5, 2022
Marks and Spencer state on their website that 80% of their produce is from the UK.
However, as a result of Brexit, the British agricultural industry has hit an all time low due to increased labour shortages and rising production costs.
Because of this, supermarkets such as Marks and Spencer have begun to import more produce internationally, usually at a much lower cost.
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This is a poor excuse for sourcing from thousands of miles away. Closer working with the NFU is required.