UK to plan awareness campaign for poultry products

The UK must systematise an awareness campaign, backed up by sufficient funds, in order to get consumers to buy local products, according to the British Pig and Poultry Fair.

Chairing the debate, BBC presenter and farmer Adam Henson revealed, through a show of hands, that the audience unanimously agreed the industry is not doing enough to promote British products.

The scope to improve the allegiance to British products through better awareness was reflected in video footage of recent consumer visits organised by RASE and ABN to a broiler unit and an intensive pig unit. The groups of consumers were very encouraged with the welfare standards being met on these units and the appearance of the livestock, which dismissed many of the myths they held regarding British livestock production systems. A number thought, for example, broiler birds were reared in small cages and force fed.

Bill Thurston, managing director of Vion and panel member commented that the consumer perceptions of production systems were 20 years out of date and there was a lack of trust on food labelling.

''This lack of understanding is something that needs addressing quickly,'' said panel member Andrew Nicholson. ''We need to inform consumers - the young and those with the cheque book.'' He went on to tell the audience that consumers make their purchasing decisions in approximately three seconds so 'buy British' needs to be high on their list of priorities.