The term 'British' will be included in an Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) marketing campaign for the first time, when consumer campaign 'We Eat Balanced' returns on 8th September.
The campaign is back in autumn to reinforce the importance of British meat and dairy in helping to form part of a healthy and sustainable diet.
AHDB had previously been restricted from using 'British' as the primary message because of the EU State Aid Rules. However, in early 2023 guidance on the new UK rules - part of The Subsidy Control Act - was published, opening the way for this change.
Running from 8th September until 22nd October, 'We Eat Balanced' will not only aim to promote consumer awareness but also seek to foster long-term positive attitudes towards naturally produced British red meat and dairy.
Future use of 'British' and the Union Flag will also be reflected in the Love Pork campaigns, including 'Feed the Family for Less'. This will expand to export activities, where AHDB event stands will prominently feature the Union Flag.
Both the World Trade Organisation subsidy rules and the new UK Subsidy Control Act do not prevent AHDB from utilising 'British' and the Union Flag in marketing campaigns, provided it does not disrupt international trade. This opportunity allows AHDB to better showcase its support to levy payers and levy spend on promotional activities.
The Association of Independent Meat Suppliers (AIMS) welcomed the announcement, saying: “The addition of the Union Flag on the new 'We Eat Balanced' campaign is excellent news adding a further layer of consumer facing messaging to what is already a very strong campaign.
“We are also encouraged to hear that the Union Flag will also now be appearing on campaigns such as the highly relevant 'Feed the Family for Less' as well as being incorporated onto export stands and materials.
“Our levy paying members will no doubt be heartened after many years of frustration in respect to a ban on referencing UK country of origin that the Union Flag is now permitted to fly on the country's Red Meat promotional materials once again.”
Promoting red meat as part of a healthy diet
Like previous bursts of the campaign, consumers will be educated on the numerous nutritional benefits of incorporating lean red meat and dairy to their diet. These benefits include vitamin B12, an essential nutrient not naturally present in foods of plant origin.
Along with engaging assets, the campaign advert will feature on social media, in newspapers, video on demand and in the stores of eight major supermarkets, where on-pack stickers will include links to direct shoppers to healthy meat and dairy recipes.
"The We Eat Balanced campaign is supporting the British farming industry at a time when there is a plethora of imbalanced information about nutrition and food production."
James Shouler, AHDB Beef and Lamb board member.
AHDB's director of marketing, Liam Byrne, said: "We are incredibly proud that we have raised the bar yet again for 2023, with our industry leading We Eat Balanced campaign.
"By incorporating the 'British' message, which we know is important to consumers, our aim is to highlight the exceptional taste and quality of our home-grown meat and dairy, whilst advocating its role in a nutritionally balanced and sustainable diet.
"We believe that through these efforts we can foster a strong and enduring connection between consumers and our British farmers, who are so passionate about providing quality and sustainable food at every step of its journey, from field to fork."
AHDB Beef and Lamb board member, James Shouler, added: "It is encouraging to see a campaign equipping consumers with facts about a healthy diet that is also sustainably produced. The We Eat Balanced campaign is supporting the British farming industry at a time when there is a plethora of imbalanced information about nutrition and food production."
Dairy farmer Charles Goadby said: "It is good to learn that 'British' will be included in AHDB's marketing campaigns and exports activities going forward. We need to continue sharing the positive stories of British farming through various channels."
The 'We Eat Balanced' campaign forms part of AHDB's work in promoting and defending the reputation of red meat and dairy, as well as challenging misinformation.
This story was originally published on a previous version of the Meat Management website and so there may be some missing images and formatting issues.
