HYBU Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) has announced that many of Britain’s largest retailers and wholesalers have signed up to take part in activities to promote PGI Welsh Lamb over the next few weeks, around the UK-wide celebration of ‘Love Lamb Week’ from September 1-7.

With over 80 per cent of fresh meat sales in the UK market taking place through multiple retailers, the Welsh red meat promotional body has linked up with supermarket chains to ensure as many consumers as possible are reached through a variety of promotions.

Two of the largest retailers will be featuring stories and recipes on Welsh lamb in their magazines throughout the UK, with one also promoting a competition where consumers can win a holiday in the Brecon Beacons.

Other retailers will carry point-of-sale marketing including on-shelf branding and recipe leaflets.

HCC’s mobile cooking theatre will also tour four stores in England and one in Wales during the first week in September, with further dates towards the end of the month, to give consumers a chance to sample Welsh lamb for themselves.

Welsh lamb is available at branches of Aldi, Asda, Booker, Co-op, Costco, Lidl, M&S, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Waitrose and many other retailers.

HCC is also supporting independent butchers, who are a vital part of Welsh red meat’s visibility in high streets and town centres, to be a part of Love Lamb Week through new recipes and other point-of-sale materials.

HCC market development manager Rhys Llywelyn said: “The British market is vital for Welsh lamb, and is even more so now with Brexit causing uncertainty in terms of exports.

"We therefore regularly engage with all the large retailers to offer help with promotions, as well as independent butchers.

"We’re delighted with the response this year, and are pleased that Welsh lamb advertising will reach so many consumers around Love Lamb Week and throughout the autumn.

“Alongside our activity with retailers and wholesalers, we will also be ramping up our consumer advertising.

“This year will see an unprecedented investment in online promotion in the UK market, which offers great value for money and enables us to target messages at groups of consumers who are most likely to be interested in Welsh lamb.”