Lab grown foie gras and chicken reviewed by UK regulators

Lab Grown Foie Gras and Chicken Undergo UK Safety Review

Cultivated versions of foie gras and chicken are undergoing safety assessment in the UK as regulators examine potential future approval of lab grown meat products.

According to reporting by AOL, the products are currently being reviewed by the Food Standards Agency as part of the UK’s regulatory process for novel foods.

The products are produced using cell cultivation techniques and in some cases 3D food printing technology to replicate the texture and structure of conventional meat.

Supporters of cultivated meat say the technology could offer environmental benefits and reduce reliance on livestock production. However, regulatory approval is required before the products can be sold commercially in the UK.

The safety assessment process will examine nutritional content, production methods and potential risks before any decision is made on market authorisation.

Source: AOL | 13 March 2026

Livestock shortages push EU meat prices higher

EU Beef Prices Rose 10% in 2025 as Livestock Supplies Tightened

Beef and veal prices across the European Union increased significantly in 2025 as livestock shortages continued to affect the market.

According to data analysed by Eurostat and reported by IndexBox, average EU beef and veal prices rose by around 10% during the year.

Other meat categories also recorded price increases. Lamb and goat prices climbed by 7.2%, while poultry prices rose by 4.4%.

Meat Industry Ireland said the price increases are closely linked to declining livestock numbers in both European and global markets.

The analysis covered 25 countries. Switzerland was the only market to record a fall in lamb and goat prices, down 4.2%, while Kosovo recorded the largest increase, with prices rising by 15.2%.

Analysts say the tightening supply situation is likely to remain a key driver of European meat prices.

Source: IndexBox / Eurostat | 12 March 2026

Record pace of UK abattoir closures raises alarm

UK Abattoir Closures Accelerate as Small Farms Struggle

The number of abattoirs operating in the UK is continuing to decline, increasing pressure on small farms and local meat supply chains.

According to reporting by The Telegraph, slaughterhouse closures are forcing many farmers to transport livestock longer distances for processing, increasing costs and raising animal welfare concerns.

Industry representatives warn the loss of local abattoirs is particularly damaging for family farms and small scale producers who rely on nearby processing facilities to supply local markets.

The trend has sparked growing calls from farming groups for government support to stabilise the UK’s slaughterhouse network, with concerns that continued closures could undermine rural economies and reduce domestic meat processing capacity.

Source: The Telegraph | 8 March 2026

Meat inflation slows in January, but Ramadan set to lift Halal lamb prices

Britain’s meat inflation eases in January, but Ramadan set to push Halal lamb prices higher

Britain’s meat inflation slowed sharply in January, according to the latest AIMS Meat Inflation Report, although upward pressure is expected to return as Ramadan approaches.

The January 2026 report shows that average meat prices rose by just 0.32% (£0.04 per kg) during the month. However, year-on-year inflation remains elevated, with average prices up 12.58% (£1.38 per kg) compared with January 2025.

Monthly trends across beef, lamb, pork and chicken

During January, all four major categories — beef, lamb, pork and chicken — saw some individual cuts remain flat or fall slightly in price. Overall movements, however, varied by species.

Beef prices increased by 0.75% month on month, driven largely by a £1.18 per kg rise in roasting joints. Lamb prices also edged higher, rising 1.58%, with leg joints up £2.11 per kg. Both cuts were heavily promoted by retailers during December, and January pricing suggests supermarkets sought to recover margin following the festive period.

By contrast, pork prices fell slightly, down 0.14%, while chicken prices dropped more sharply by 5.68%. Together, these declines offset beef and lamb increases, keeping overall meat inflation modest for the month.

Annual inflation still driven by beef and lamb

Looking at the 12-month period from 1 February 2025 to 31 January 2026, all four categories recorded inflation, although the scale varied significantly.

Chicken showed the lowest annual increase at just 0.22%, with several cuts — including bone-in and filleted thighs — cheaper than a year earlier. This has been influenced by retailer price-matching and rollback promotions, particularly from Aldi and Asda.

Pork prices rose 1.27% year on year, led by roasting cuts. Leg increased by 10.87%, while shoulder rose 10.51%. Despite this, AIMS notes that pork continues to offer strong consumer value, aligning with AHDB’s current “British Pork, But Not As You Know It” campaign.

However, it is beef and lamb that continue to drive overall inflation. Lamb prices are up 4.46% year on year, while beef has surged by 29.9%, reflecting tight supply and strong demand.

Ramadan expected to lift Halal lamb prices

Looking ahead, AIMS expects further upward pressure on prices during February and March. With Valentine’s Day approaching, beef and lamb steaks are likely to rise. In addition, Ramadan (17 February to 18 March) is expected to significantly increase demand for Halal lamb and Halal chicken.

Weekly lamb throughput is already down by 2,387 head (1.22%), suggesting farmers may be holding stock back in anticipation of stronger Ramadan-driven liveweight prices.

Source: Aims | 5 February 2026

Meatex Goes Zero Commission

Meatex Launches Zero Commission Marketplace for the Food Trade

Trade only platform removes fees and commissions, giving suppliers full control and higher margins. This zero commission food marketplace empowers businesses to keep more of their profits while accessing a wider customer base.

Meatex, the UK’s leading B2B food trading platform, has today announced the launch of its new zero commission marketplace model, allowing food suppliers to list products for free, deal directly with buyers, and keep 100% of their profits.

The move removes traditional marketplace fees and commissions that often erode supplier margins, offering a simpler, fairer and more transparent way for wholesale food businesses to trade online.

Under the new model:

Suppliers list products for free
Buyers browse and connect for free
No commission is charged on any deal
Suppliers deal directly with buyers

The platform supports trading across meat, poultry, seafood, frozen, chilled and surplus food products, connecting verified trade buyers and sellers across the UK and internationally.

Tony Vardy, Founder of Meatex, commented: “The food trade is built on relationships, trust and speed. Traditional marketplaces often add friction, fees and complexity. We wanted to strip all of that away. Zero commission means suppliers keep their margin, buyers get sharper pricing, and deals happen faster. It’s how trading should work.”

Meatex has grown rapidly as a professional trade only platform, attracting wholesalers, manufacturers, processors, caterers and distributors seeking a clean, commission free route to market without consumer noise, hidden costs or platform interference.

The launch also reflects Meatex’s wider ambition to become the UK’s leading digital trading hub for wholesale food, combining marketplace trading with classified ads, recruitment, trade news and finance solutions.

“We’re not trying to replace relationships,” Vardy added. “We’re simply giving the trade better digital tools to trade smarter, faster and more profitably.”

Suppliers can register, list products and start selling immediately at www.meatex.co.uk

Welsh Lamb Trade Strained by Post Brexit Bureaucracy

MP Raises Concerns Over Post-Brexit Red Tape for Welsh Lamb Exports

Concerns have been raised in Parliament over the costs, delays and bureaucracy facing Welsh farmers exporting lamb to the EU following Brexit.

According to the Brecon & Radnor Express, David Chadwick of the Welsh Liberal Democrats warned that non-tariff barriers are placing a significant burden on exporters, with paperwork, certification and border processes adding expense and uncertainty to trade.

Chadwick has called for an urgent agreement with the EU to reduce red tape for meat exports, arguing that current arrangements risk undermining the competitiveness of Welsh lamb in its key European markets and placing further pressure on farm incomes.

The intervention highlights ongoing challenges for UK red meat exporters, particularly lamb producers, where EU market access remains critical but operational friction continues to limit trade efficiency.

Source: Brecon & Radnor Express | 10 January 2026

MPs Demand Delay to “Damaging” Farm Tax Reforms

EU Beef Supply Set to Shrink by 2035

EU Beef Output Set to Fall Sharply by 2035

EU red meat production is forecast to decline significantly over the next decade, according to new outlook data published by AHDB.

The European Commission projects a 9.2% fall in EU beef production by 2035, equivalent to a reduction of around 615,000 tonnes. The decline is being driven primarily by a shrinking cow herd, with suckler cow numbers expected to drop by 8.5%.

The figures underline a long-term structural contraction in European beef supply rather than a short-term cyclical adjustment.

Source: AHDB | 08/01/2026

Factories Hold Firm as Irish Cattle Prices Ease

Irish Cattle Prices Under Pressure as Factories Adopt Tough Stance

Irish cattle prices have come under renewed pressure at the start of 2026. Meat processors are reported to be taking a “take it or leave it” approach to procurement, despite reduced slaughter numbers.

According to the Irish Examiner, factories have hardened their stance on base prices for steers and heifers in the first trading week of the year. This resulted in a softening of returns for finishers. This shift has surprised some producers given the continued tightness in cattle availability.

Official figures show that the kill in week one of 2026 was almost 8,000 head lower than the same period in 2025. This underlines the ongoing contraction in Irish cattle supplies. Despite this, processors appear confident in holding firm on prices. They cite weak demand signals and challenging market conditions at the opening of the year.

Source article: Irish Examiner | 6 January 2026

Australian Beef Exporters Rethink Strategy After China Beef Quotas

Australian Beef Exports Threatened by New Chinese Trade Restrictions

The Australian beef industry is facing the potential loss of A$1 billion in exports due to new global safeguard measures announced by China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM ). The measures, which are applicable to all nations, follow a year-long investigation and are seen by Australian industry bodies as an unwarranted and disappointing development.

Cattle Australia has expressed its belief that the decision will unfairly disadvantage Australian beef producers, who have a long-standing and trusted trade relationship with China.

The organisation has also pointed out that while Australia accounts for only 8% of China’s beef imports, other countries, particularly from South America, have significantly increased their export volumes at lower prices.

Source: Cattle Australia | 07/01/2026

Analysis: Why UK Meat Prices Rose 15.91% in 2025

Analysis of the 15.91% UK Meat Price Rise in 2025

UK meat and poultry prices rose by an average 15.91% during 2025, marking one of the sharpest annual increases seen in recent years. While inflationary pressure was felt across most protein categories, a closer examination of market data shows the headline figure was driven overwhelmingly by beef, where a severe domestic supply squeeze collided with resilient consumer demand.

Industry sources agree the increase was not evenly spread across the meat sector. Instead, beef prices surged to record levels, pulling up the overall average, while pork prices remained broadly stable and poultry saw more moderate inflation linked to disease disruption.

Price Increases by Meat Type

Data compiled from trade sources including the Association of Independent Meat Suppliers (AIMS) highlights the scale of divergence between protein categories.

Meat Type	Average Price Increase (2025)	Approx. Increase per kg	Key Observation
Beef	+32.26%	+£4.89/kg	Primary driver of overall meat inflation
Lamb	+8.94%	–	Moderate increase, broadly inflationary
Chicken	+7.64%	–	Impacted by avian influenza disruption
Pork	~0%	+£0.16/kg	Largely stable supply and demand

Beef’s outsized increase explains why overall meat inflation remained elevated despite relatively subdued movement in pork and poultry prices.

Primary Driver: Beef Supply and Demand Imbalance

The core cause of beef price inflation in 2025 was a structural supply shortfall, confirmed by multiple industry bodies including AHDB and the British Meat Processors Association (BMPA).

Supply-side pressure

UK beef production contracted sharply during 2025. AHDB forecast a 5% fall in beef output, reflecting a sustained reduction in the national cattle herd. This was reinforced by a 6% decline in prime cattle slaughter, tightening availability further.

A Devon beef producer summarised the situation succinctly in reporting by the BBC News:

“It is entirely the maths – it’s about supply and demand. There’s a 5% shortfall in cattle on the land.”

Several structural factors underpin the supply decline:

Lower livestock numbers: Years of squeezed farm profitability and the tapering of direct payments have reduced breeding herds.
Policy direction: BMPA chief executive Nick Allen has argued that recent government schemes have prioritised environmental outcomes over production volume.
Rising imports: Beef imports were expected to rise by around 12% in 2025 to offset domestic shortages.

Demand remains resilient

Despite higher prices, consumer demand for beef held firm. AHDB projected a 1% increase in domestic beef consumption during 2025, partly driven by a shift away from ultra-processed foods towards fresh meat and primary cuts.

This combination of fewer cattle and steady demand created intense competition for available supply, pushing prices sharply higher.

As AHDB lead analyst Hannah Clarke noted:

“The beef sector is entering 2025 in a period of significant supply constraint, which is expected to support cattle prices throughout the year. Consumer sensitivity to price and cut choice will determine overall carcase values.”

Secondary Inflationary Pressures

While beef supply was the dominant factor, other forces contributed to broader meat price inflation.

Labour and processing costs

Although some farm inputs such as feed and energy eased in late 2024, labour costs continued to rise. AHDB’s Agricultural Price Index showed labour costs up four index points year-on-year, with further pressure expected in 2025 due to increases in the National Living Wage. These costs filter through farms, abattoirs and processing plants, adding to shelf prices.

Avian influenza disruption

The poultry sector faced avian influenza (HPAI) outbreaks across the UK and EU. AIMS said these events caused “notable supply-side disruption”, contributing directly to the 7.64% rise in chicken prices. While less dramatic than beef inflation, the impact underlined how disease shocks can quickly influence protein markets.

A Beef-Led Inflation Story

The 15.91% rise in UK meat prices during 2025 was not a uniform inflationary event. It was primarily a beef story, driven by a severe domestic supply contraction that was not matched by a fall in consumer demand. Beef prices surged by more than 32%, lifting the entire meat price index.

Other pressures, including rising labour costs and avian influenza disruption in poultry, added to the inflationary environment. In contrast, pork prices remained largely stable, demonstrating that price pressure was sector-specific rather than systemic.

Looking ahead, the data suggests that unless cattle numbers recover meaningfully, beef will remain the key inflation risk within the UK meat basket.

References

[1] Poultry News. (2026, January 2). Meat prices rise 15.91% during 2025.

[2] AHDB. (2025, February 7). Lower supply and rising demand point to beef price support in 2025.

[3] BBC News. (2025, May 27). Beef drives food inflation to highest in a year.

[4] AHDB. (2025, February 20). Agricultural price index: Farm input prices continue to fall, yet labour costs tell a different story.