Local butchers importing meat from China

[Glitterybee]

AIBU to be absolutely fuming about this?

I spent a small fortune at a local butchers on Saturday and as I went to open one of the items today (chicken), I noticed it said on the pack ‘origin of meat - China’

That then prompted me to check all the packaging and none of the meat is sourced locally. They were all labelled as coming from either China or Poland.

I live in a very rural area with a huge network of farmers. Why on earth would a local butcher import chicken and red meat from other countries? I think it’s a disgrace.

Well just don't buy again unfortunately a lot of chicken comes from China Taiwan it's why a lot of it is gross

I wouldn't be "fuming," but I'd look for a different butcher.

Given the way they treat animals in china, fuck that.

At any point did they claim to use local meat or did you assume?

I imagine it is cheaper for them to buy imported meat. Like you said, if there is plenty of local sources there must be a reason they are importing it.

Choose a different butcher but do your research on them first.

Butcher Caught Displaying Lack of Ethics Shocker 😅

As a country we prioritise "cheap" above almost everything else when it comes to meat. Your butcher is competing against the supermarkets which also specialise in cheap, high intensity reared meat, albeit that quite a lot of this in bred in the UK and Ireland.

If you want to support local farmers look to buy on line. It will cost you £££ though.

I’m not surprised but unless butcher is claiming to use “locally sourced”
meat Yanbu. They will be competing with supermarkets who can sell at a much lower price point

i wouldn’t be fuming but I’d get my meat elsewhere

I wouldn't say anything but I would go elsewhere.

Accidental underline of text!

Find a new butcher who does source meat locally.
You need to vote with your feet/wallet on this one. Unless people buy locally consistently it will disappear.

I put some chicken back in the SPAR shop last week as it was from Poland. Green beans from Kenya.

We live in the Weald of Kent. I won't buy it, not at a time when British farmers are struggling.

It's a joke as well, the burden of climate change is put on us- what is the carbon footprint of importing chicken from China???!

Glad to know it’s not just me… will be looking at other butchers asap

I have to admit I always presume meat from the butchers is local, I'm shocked by it coming from China!

I would assume butchers are selling UK beef and chicken too. TBH I'd be pretty peeved if I'd paid more than supermarket prices for it too.

I can't even think how they source that meat to stock the shop. Unless they are buying from a cash n carry. I can't imagine a local independent Butcher being able to negotiate and buy from China themselves.

What do the Google reviews say? Maybe put one on informing other customers about it if there isn't one already.

I can understand your shock as in general the selling point of independent butchers is that the meat is local and better quality at a higher price. Why use them over the supermarket otherwise.

Have a conversation with the Butcher. He may tell you why he can't source locally and why he has to sell meat from China.

No need to make it nasty, just a straightforward question.

I would also google local poultry farmers, if there are any and ask who sells their products.

All the chickens in Costco come from Thailand.
A lot of meat comes from dodgy places.

We have one independent butcher and they don't even sell organic meat. They were really sniffy when I asked.
I trust the sainsburys and waitrose supply chains much more and buy from them instead.

Profit can likely be tge only answer. I wouldn't use the butcher again.

Where do you think green beans are going to come from at this time of year?

Ugh, I wouldn't be happy. But also, I'm surprised you got packaged meat with labels from a butcher?

We buy direct ffom farmers, and buying in bulk makes it cheaper. This is why we have a freezer in the garage.

This is beyond disgusting.
Never buy there again.
If you have the confidence, do pop in, show the package, ask them about and say you will never buy there again, because of this.
Tesco, Asda, Lidl... they do have the Union Jack on their products. You will be buying locally sourced, which has travelled a further shorter route going to the supermarket....

Good old Liz Truss wanted to export British pork to China.
I don't buy meat unless it's British, and not just slaughtered here.
As a result of the higher price I eat less meat.
I'd be interested to know if the butcher advertised the fact the meat was imported from China @Glitterybee ?

Well that would be them off my shopping list .