May 28, 2025
Nearly 50% of UK consumers are unwilling to buy US beef
A recently concluded survey showed that consumers from the United Kingdom (UK) are not open to purchasing beef from the United States (US).
Marketing company SPQR conducted the poll on 1,016 respondents across the UK where 49% of them expressed "ongoing concerns" on buying American beef, with additional 11% highlighting "health and safety issues."
Forty- three percent of respondents specifically cited worries about hormone and antibiotic use in American beef production. SPQR said that this finding reflected "ongoing consumer anxiety" about differing agricultural standards between the two nations, particularly following post-Brexit trade negotiations that have kept food standards at the forefront of public discourse.
The research also revealed the strength of British brand loyalty in the meat sector, with 45% of respondents stating their preference for British beef as a specific reason for avoiding American alternatives. This consumer patriotism represents a "significant challenge" for American exporters hoping to gain market share in the competitive UK meat landscape, SPQR found.
Mike Coppen-Gardner, chief executive of SPQR, commented: "These findings demonstrate the ongoing challenges facing American beef imports in the UK market. UK consumers continue to prioritise what they perceive as higher welfare and production standards, alongside a strong loyalty to British farming."
This comes as the UK negotiated a deal with the US, which will allow up to 13,000 metric tonnes of beef imports from the US tariff-free.
Following the announcement of the deal, the UK government stated that American hormone-treated meat would not enter the British market.
SPQR's Mike Coppen-Gardner said: "American beef exporters hoping to increase their UK market presence will need to address these perceptions directly through transparent communication about production standards and potentially adapting practices for export markets."
- Meat Management
