Six months into our second year of our ShelfWatch initiative, it feels appropriate to reflect not just on the data, but on what it means for our members, the wider supply chain, and the future of Scottish food.
ShelfWatch has always been more than the data. It’s about visibility of Scottish products and sourcing, while also providing excellent evidence to inform our workstreams around fairness and labelling. And while the latest figures show progress like a rise in Scottish and British sourcing, stronger support for Scottish staples like milk, eggs, and beef. They also remind us of the work still to be done, Scottish pork, chicken, and processed dairy continue to struggle for shelf space. While we know processing capacity in Scotland is one of the key barriers, we firmly believe a collaborative approach from farm to fork will enable us to realise our potential to produce more Scottish produce. Furthermore, investment in the supply chain will increase resilience, bolster primary producer confidence and pay dividends for the whole supply chain
The latest report highlights a quiet momentum with a general increase of 3% for Scottish produce compared to last year. Aldi’s continued commitment to Scottish sourcing is impressive, Asda’s recent jump shows that change is possible. These shifts don’t happen overnight, and they happen as result of meaningful dialogue. It’s important that we continue to understand the challenges facing retailers while highlighting the issues facing Scotland farmers, growers and crofters. It’s equally import that we discuss the opportunities across the whole supply chain to realise our potential to grow our food and drink sector.
We’ve also tried new things this year. The Soft Fruit Series launched in line with the Celebration of Berries was really positive, we saw 100% support for Scottish strawberries across summer was a real win. The snap Meat Audit, on the other hand, was sobering, it highlighted the continued rise in imported lamb, especially from retailers who previously avoided it. Not only does this chip away at member confidence, but it also raises serious questions about long-term sourcing strategies.
As we look ahead, we will use our Annual Report to not only highlight general retailer progress but we will take a deep dive into our five key asks. As a reminder these include increased Scottish sourcing, promotion of Scottish produce, clearer labelling, improving instore branding to reduce co-mingling and stopping the excessive discounting. We will be showcasing examples of best practise and celebrating those who lead the way in these areas and highlight areas for improvement to drive the conversation on building a fairer supply chain for farmers, crofters and growers.