The news that public sector caterers in Britain are targeting a 20% reduction in meat consumption is a threat to Irish farmers. The reduction campaign was launched by the Public Sector 100 Group, which is made up of institutional caterers, in a trade magazine last week, and it includes hospitals, care homes, schools and universities.
The news that public sector caterers in Britain are targeting a 20% reduction in meat consumption is a threat to Irish farmers.
The reduction campaign was launched by the Public Sector 100 Group, which is made up of institutional caterers, in a trade magazine last week, and it includes hospitals, care homes, schools and universities.
The group estimates that if achieved, it would mean 9m kilos less meat annually, which it estimates is the equivalent of 45,000 cattle or 16m chickens.
This is an important sector for Irish beef and poultry exports. While Irish beef has approval in the top three supermarkets, in practice they use Ireland for a top-up supply, with Sainsbury's and Tesco buying 90% British and ASDA usually around 70% British.
They and the large burger chains present their beef offering as British and Irish and with the UK being a net importer of 20% of its beef needs, Ireland is seen as a natural supplier.
Sourcing
There is relatively little attention given to where meat is sourced from in institutional catering for this 45,000t market.
By its nature, it is functional food and institutions are always working to a tight budget. Therefore, they are focused on buying cheaper cuts of meat, as they target producing meals to a price point.
Britain is the destination for just under half of Irish beef exports and three-quarters of poultry meat exports annually.
Irish quality assurance schemes are accepted as being on par with British, though the Irish cannot carry the Red Tractor logo, which is an identifier for the different schemes in the UK in the way that the Bord Bia quality mark is in Ireland.
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