ONE of the United Kingdom’s largest supermarket retailers has expanded a trial of Australian fresh beef, in the face of soaring domestic beef prices and tightening supply.

Morrisons, which operates 500 supermarkets across the UK, like many retailers has for decades maintained a 100pc British meat policy, but has now expanded its trial of Australian beef originally introduced in June.

Marketed under the brand name “Limited Edish” the range now includes ribeyes, sirloins, rumps and eye fillet steaks. A Morrisons spokesman said the offer remained a trial at this stage, making up less than 2pc of the company’s fresh beef turnover. JBS Australia is understood to be a key supplier for the program, mostly certified grassfed product.

Morrisons first started selling a mix of Australian and UK beef under the brand in limited numbers in June, marking an end to the company’s 100 percent British beef-sourcing pledge.

The move saw the company, along with other UK supermarket rivals Asda and Sainsbury’s which also expanded their ranges of imported meat, face criticism from UK farmers and campaigners, amid claims the move undermines British agriculture and high welfare standards.

According to the UK’s National Farmers Union, the move was made possible by the UK’s controversial post-Brexit trade agreement with Australia.

Supermarkets told the British trade press that the were stocking some imported product to offer outstanding value to customers.

The cost of red meat and livestock in the UK has soared by anywhere from 30pc to 44pc this year, data from the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board indicates.

Morrisons expanded a trial of Australian beef products carries redesigned packaging, with an ‘Australian Made’ logo on the pack front.

The steaks have rolled out to around 40 of Morrisons’ larger stores since September.

According to the UK’s The Grocer site, the sirloins and ribeyes cost £6 each for a 200g pack (£30/kg). The rump costs £4.25 for a 227g pack (£18.72/kg), while the fillet costs £8 for a 200g pack (£40/kg). By comparison, a Morrisons The Best Signature Collection sirloin is priced at £46/kg. A Market Street British Prime Sirloin is £22/kg and a Market Street Scotch Sirloin is priced at £30/kg.

Morrisons’ move comes in the wake of a significant tightening of supply of UK beef over the past year, with AHDB forecasting a 4pc fall in production in 2025, The Grocer reported.

Although coming off a very low base, Australian beef exports to the UK for the year to the end of September have reached just over 12,000t, up from 4400t for the same period last year, as UK and Irish production slumps.

The NFU has claimed that Australian beef production standards differ from those in the UK, with widespread use of feedlots and a “lower animal welfare rating, according to the RSPCA in Australia.”

Liberal Democrat environment spokesperson Tim Farron told The Guardian newspaper that the move was “appalling”, accusing the supermarket of “undermining British farmers and its own brand.”

Similar trends in lamb

It is not first time Morrisons has faced backlash on its decision to choose non-British meat suppliers. Last year, the chain dropped its 2017 pledge to only source British lamb as part of a trial stocking New Zealand lamb.

Other supermarkets are also sourcing meat from farther afield than previously. Asda is now selling sirloin and ribeye steaks from Uruguay, priced much lower than their UK counterparts, the UK’s Grocery Gazette reported.

Sainsbury’s also come under scrutiny in June for stocking Wagyu beef from New Zealand, although it insisted this made up just 0.1pc of its beef range and was clearly labelled as product of NZ.

Sainsbury’s said at the time it was committed to UK sourcing and that all suppliers are held to the same quality standards, regardless of origin.

UK retailers’ have defended their decisions as a way to offer value to customers amid soaring red meat prices.

See Beef Central’s earlier report plotting the growth in this year’s beef exports to the UK.