UK | British farming is back in the spotlight, and the shopping baskets are showing it.
Waitrose has reported a surge in demand for homegrown food as a new wave of popular farming shows, including Jeremy Clarkson’s and Jimmy and Shivi’s Farmhouse Breakfast series, inspire consumers to support British farmers and buy more local, seasonal produce.
Waitrose has seen dramatic increases in both sales and searches for British-grown ingredients. Compared to this time last year, sales for:
- Waitrose No.1 British Strawberries +151 percent
- Waitrose Jersey Royal New Potatoes +89 percent
- Waitrose British Thick Cut Sirloin Steak +193 percent
- Waitrose No. 1 Smoked Red Fox Vintage Red Leicester Cheese +50 percent
- Waitrose Organic Duchy Mature Cheddar +78 percent
- Waitrose Cox Apples +52 percent
- Waitrose Duchy Organic Gala Apples +30 percent
- Waitrose Early British Asparagus +25 percent
In the last 6 months, sales for Waitrose No.1 British Summer Honey +48 percent
In the last month, searches online show:
- ‘British strawberries’ +276 percent
- ‘Early British asparagus’ +550 percent
- ‘British honey’ +100 percent
- ‘British beef’ +107 percent
- ‘Jersey new potatoes’ +77 percent
“Farming shows are doing more than just entertaining us; they’re making the public stop and think about British farming, the people behind it, and the challenges they face,” said Jake Pickering, Head of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries at Waitrose & Partners.
“Our customers are telling us they want to support UK producers, and we’re proud to be a retailer that champions them every step of the way.”
The movement has extended beyond the supermarket shelves. The ‘Farm to Fork’ trend is gaining cultural momentum, with chefs, influencers and restaurateurs highlighting British produce.
Chef Julius Roberts has championed all things British produce, sharing recipes such as British asparagus puff tarts. Seb Graus has also shared his seasonal asparagus, leek, and pea orzo.
New restaurant openings this May, including Stevie Parle’s “Town” in Covent Garden, are also celebrating British produce, showcasing sustainable British ingredients and dishes, such as “Potato bread with Wildfarmed beef dripping.”
“We're observing a shift in how our customers shop, with more actively supporting farmers by filling their baskets with British-grown produce, including berries to local cheeses and beef,” said Emilie Wolfman, Trend Innovation Manager at Waitrose.
“What we’re seeing is a genuine shift in how people shop and more people wanting to connect to where their food comes from.”
The rise in interest is also evident across social media, with mentions of “farm-to-fork” increasing by 20 per cent year-over-year, and discussions about local honey alone growing by 28 per cent since this time last year.
