Aldi pledges to stick to British meat import welfare commitments

Aldi UK and Ireland chief executive Giles Hurley has promised to stick to the discounter’s food safety and welfare standards regardless of whether current regulations are watered down.

It comes amid concerns that post-Brexit trade negotiations could lead to a weakening of the UK’s import rules which currently prohibit the likes of chlorinated chicken and hormone-treated beef entering the country.

Hurley said the business was committed to maintain its existing sourcing standards of its meat, poultry or dairy products.

The chief executive said: “British farming is known for its high welfare, food safety and environmental standards and we know how important that is to our customers.

“That’s why 100% of our everyday fresh beef, pork and poultry is sourced from British farms, and why we’re guaranteeing that we won’t lower our standards even if others do. This isn’t just about food safety. It’s about protecting British farmers and doing the right thing for our customers.”

The commitment builds on Aldi’s long-established policy of sourcing 100% of its core fresh beef, pork, poultry, milk and eggs from British farms, all of which are Red Tractor-approved.

After pledging to spend a further £3.5bn a year with British suppliers by the end of this year back in 2020, the supermarket chain recently announced it had surpassed this goal by spending more than £14bn with UK businesses in 2024.

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