Co-op Calls for Action as UK Meat Imports Hit £5bn
Co-op Urges Government Action as UK Meat Imports Reach £5bn
UK meat imports reached £5 billion in 2025, prompting calls for greater Government support for agricultural co-operatives and domestic food production.
According to HMRC data obtained by Co-op, UK meat imports rose by 15% year on year in 2025. Poultry was the largest imported protein category, worth almost £2 billion, with Poland and the Netherlands accounting for the biggest share of poultry imports.
Co-op has called for the Government to champion agricultural co-operatives as a way to improve food security, strengthen domestic supply chains and give farmers more ability to share costs, manage risk and invest collectively.
The call follows a policy paper from the Co-operative Party, which argued that agricultural co-operatives could help reduce exposure to volatile input markets such as fertiliser, fuel and animal feed. The UK currently has an estimated 526 agricultural co-operatives generating more than £9 billion in income.
For the UK meat trade, the figures underline the growing importance of import supply, particularly in poultry, while also raising questions about domestic production capacity, resilience and long-term food security.
Source: Meat Management | 6 May 2026
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