The NPA is seeking meetings with some of the UK’s biggest foodservice companies to discuss how the pig sector could explore new opportunities in this large market.
This followed a joint NPA-NFU Scotland press release calling for a clear commitment from the UK’s foodservice sector to use more British pork and for greater transparency in companies’ sourcing policies.
In letters to leading foodservice companies, NPA chief executive Lizzie Wilson highlighted how the pig sector is currently enduring a ‘very challenging time’.
“These difficult market conditions are having a particularly significant impact on our independent producers, and, as such, we are contacting a number of foodservice businesses to request a meeting to discuss what more this integral part of the supply chain can do to support British pork,” she wrote.
She added that the recent backlog of pigs, which reached 100,000 pigs at its peak, has now more or less cleared but that this has come at the expense of the pig price, with some extremely low prices now being paid. The SPP has lost more than 30p since August 2025, currently standing at 178p/kg, with many producers paid significantly less than that.
“While we know net EU imports into the UK are down almost 5% year-on-year for Q1, the swell of cheap pig meat on the continent and its attractiveness to UK food providers is a key factor in dictating this low UK price,” she said.
“This cost is ultimately being borne by the independent sector once again and the future of many independent pig producers has been cast into doubt in recent months, as the leading pork processors have given notice on contracts to suppliers up and down the country.”
Market opportunities
The letter explains how the NPA is currently exploring various opportunities to help bolster the market, including alternative markets and ‘stimulating more demand for this fully traceable domestic product produced via numerous production systems to suit various ethical and environmental requirements, and to a high standard’.
“We liaise with processors and retailers on a regular basis regarding commitment to British and support for their specific producer groups,” Lizzie added.
“However, the foodservice sector, despite being more significant in both volume and value in comparison to retail, is still an area of limited engagement for us and can offer much greater scope for growth of British pigmeat supply.”
The letters request an initial meeting to help the NPA understand more about the businesses and to discuss closer working relations in future, ‘to better help support British pig producers and their businesses’.
“We are very concerned about the future viability of the British pig sector and believe it is incumbent on the entire supply chain to commit to a coordinated approach to ensure its survival and progression,” Lizzie added.