According to data from Quality Meat Scotland (QMS), Scotland’s lamb and beef sectors together could unlock around an additional £350 million by 2032.
This would include £100 million in Gross Value Added (GVA) for the Scottish economy by 2032.
The figures, which were revealed by QMS and the Scottish Red Meat Resilience Group (SRMRG) at QMS’s annual business breakfast at the Royal Highland Show (RHS), aimed to set out the “scale of the economic opportunity” for Scotland’s red meat supply chain from strong global demand.
This comes at a time when consumers in Scotland have a reportedly “unwavering appetite” for locally produced food and concerns about imported alternatives.
The QMS-commissioned consumer research findings (Censuswide, May 2026) highlighted how 81% of respondents in Scotland said they wanted their supermarkets to prioritise stocking Scottish red meat over imported alternatives, while 71% said they would be concerned if imported red meat became significantly more common on Scottish supermarket shelves. Fewer than 2% of consumers said that they preferred to buy beef, lamb and pork from Europe or markets outside Europe.
QMS said the findings “reinforced the strategic importance” of a sector already worth £3.5 billion in output and more than £1 billion in GVA to the Scottish economy. As a major pillar of Scotland’s wider food and drink manufacturing base, the red meat sector also supports an industry that provides more than 47,000 jobs across the country.
Exports accounted for around 13% of Scottish abattoir beef and lamb production, while the value of Scotland’s red meat exports reached a record £173 million in 2024/25 – a 26% increase on the previous year, with export volumes also rising by 10%.
“At a time when concerns over rising imports are growing, demand for our premium red meat remains strong at home.”
Sarah Millar, QMS
QMS chief executive Sarah Millar commented: “Scotland’s shoppers are sending a clear message – they want beef, pork and lamb they can trust, produced here at home to the standards Scotland is known for.
“People in Scotland back Scottish farmers and support the national economy, and we need this same support from all the decision makers across Scotland’s red meat supply chain – the unintended consequence of undervaluing or overlooking the wider contributions of Scotland’s livestock producers is not an option.
“At a time when concerns over rising imports are growing, demand for our premium red meat remains strong at home and continues to build in key export markets, it would be nonsensical to hand this opportunity away. As a sector, we need to grab it and give every reason to invest, produce with confidence and maintain Scotland’s reputation as a world-leading producer.”
QMS highlighted that Scottish livestock production delivers “wider public value” beyond its economic contribution, and said farmers are critical to rural social infrastructure and communities in some of Scotland’s “most disadvantaged” areas.
Millar added: “Scottish red meat is more valuable than ever before but capitalising on this opportunity will take long-term thinking and real collaboration. This is about Government, industry and consumers working together to back Scottish livestock production, recognising its holistic goods and securing a sustainable future for the entire Scottish red meat supply chain. By getting behind our farmers now, we can help ensure this sector thrives for generations to come for Scotland’s benefit.”
