Consumers are continuing to feel the pinch as meat price inflation remains stubbornly high, according to the latest AIMS Meat Inflation Tracker Report for April 2025.

The report reveals that fresh meat prices have increased by a significant 11.53% compared to April 2024, with a further rise of 3.48% recorded in the last month alone.

Tony Goodger, Head of Communications at AIMS, commenting on the concerning figures, stated, “Our report, which is based AHDB’s supermarket price tracker, and our own monitoring of the chicken market shows that meat price inflation is being driven by 12 months of steep rises across beef (+20.96%) and lamb (+19.92%) cuts.”

For consumers seeking more budget-friendly options, Mr. Goodger pointed to a notable exception in the market. “Consumers looking for the very best value should go for British farm assured chicken legs as they haven’t moved at all during the last month and are 5p/kg down (2.03%) year on year.”

He also highlighted some slight relief in the pork sector. “That said,” Mr. Goodger added, “British Pork cuts such as belly slices, tenderloin and mince have also dropped back slightly year on year. However, with the current hot weather and two bank holidays in quick succession I do expect demand for these lines to increase as households look to the barbecue for meal occasions.”

The AIMS report underscores the sustained pressure on household budgets due to escalating meat prices, particularly for beef and lamb. While chicken legs and certain pork cuts offer some respite, the overall trend indicates that meat price inflation remains a significant concern for consumers. The anticipated increase in demand for barbecue staples due to the upcoming warm weather and bank holidays could further influence prices in the short term.

Food Crime Unit Granted New Powers to Combat Food Fraud in England and Wales

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has announced that the National Food Crime Unit (NFCU) now has expanded investigatory powers to tackle food fraud more effectively across England and Wales, effective from May 2, 2025.

These powers, granted under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE), allow the NFCU to operate with greater independence in the fight against serious food crime.

Key New Powers for the National Food Crime Unit

Under the new regulations, NFCU investigators can now:

• Apply for and execute search warrants independently, without relying on local police forces.

• Access and secure premises where food crime is suspected, enabling timely evidence gathering and prevention of material destruction.

These powers represent a significant step forward in allowing the NFCU to respond swiftly to food crime intelligence and progress investigations more efficiently.

“This is a major step forward in protecting the integrity of the UK food supply chain,” said a spokesperson for the FSA.

Why These Powers Matter

The NFCU was formed in 2015 following the Elliot Review into the 2013 horse meat scandal, with a mission to prevent, detect, and disrupt serious criminal activity in food supply chains. Until now, the unit had to depend on police and other agencies to carry out certain enforcement actions.

Benefits of the new powers include:

• Faster and more effective investigations into food crime.

• Greater consumer protection and support for legitimate food businesses.

• Reduced pressure on police resources, enabling them to focus on other priorities.

What Is Food Crime?

The FSA defines food crime as serious fraud involving the production, processing, distribution, or sale of food. Examples include:

• Adulteration – adding inferior or undeclared ingredients to food.

• Substitution – replacing quality ingredients with cheaper alternatives.

• Misrepresentation – false labelling or misleading claims about origin or quality.

• Use of stolen food – introducing stolen items into the supply chain.

• Illegal processing – operating outside of regulated slaughter or production rules.

• Waste diversion – reintroducing food waste into the supply chain illegally.

• Document fraud – falsifying records or traceability data.

How to Report Food Crime

The FSA urges members of the public and food industry professionals to report any suspicions to Food Crime Confidential:

• Phone (UK): 0800 028 1180

• Phone (International): +44 207 276 8787

• Online: Visit the FSA website

Strengthening Trust in the UK Food Chain

These enhanced powers mark a significant milestone in the UK’s food safety landscape. By empowering the NFCU to act independently, the FSA aims to further protect consumers, safeguard businesses, and ensure that the UK’s food supply chain remains trustworthy and transparent.

Original source: Food Standards Agency (FSA)

 

Tight Beef Supply Drives Deadweight Prices Sky High Across UK, Reports Farmers Weekly

UNITED KINGDOM – May 1, 2025 – The British beef sector is experiencing unprecedented price hikes, with deadweight cattle prices soaring by nearly 40% in just nine months due to a significant tightening of both international and domestic beef supplies. According to Farmers Weekly (FWI), the market is bracing for continued high prices.

Hybu Cig Cymru (HCC), the Welsh red meat promotion body, forecasts that deadweight prices will remain consistently above £7/kg, with weekly increases already being observed. This surge sees prime cattle deadweight prices in England and Wales now sitting an impressive £2/kg higher than during the same period last year.

The increase in prices is directly linked to reduced availability. For the first quarter of 2025, UK prime cattle throughput was down 3% year-on-year, indicating fewer animals coming to market.

This sharp rise in deadweight prices is inevitably impacting consumers, who are facing retail beef prices that have increased by approximately 20%. The dynamic underscores a challenging period for consumers, while producers potentially benefit from stronger returns, albeit within a constrained supply environment.

Original source: Farmers Weekly

Weekly Cattle and Sheep Market Wrap

Key Points

• Restocker cattle demand reflects the impact of the rainfall events of the last month.
• The National Mutton Indicator continues to recorrect.
• National cattle slaughter lifted above 150,000 head for the first time since June 2019.

Australia is heading into a series of public holidays that are expected to disrupt regular operations at saleyards and meat processing plants across the country. Market indicators and processing volumes will be impacted over the upcoming weeks. MLA will continue monitoring the prices and markets and return to regular market commentary once all saleyards are back online.

Upcoming National Public Holidays

• Easter: Friday 18 April – Monday 21 April
• ANZAC Day: Friday 25 April
• Labour Day (Queensland) and May Day (NT): Monday 5 May

A list of affected sales can be found in the article here.

Cattle Market

The mixed results in the cattle market this week were due to the volatility of supply in saleyards. This was caused by interrupted sales, with reduced yardings the week prior.

As the effects of the Queensland and NSW rain are realised in feed, confidence in the market has been reflected in the lifting of the Restocker Yearling Heifer Indicator and Restocker Yearling Steer Indicator. Despite a lift in indicator yardings, both indicators lifted 4¢ last week to 328¢/kg liveweight (lwt) and 401¢/kg lwt, respectively.

Finished animals did not fare well this week, with the Heavy Steer Indicator easing 16¢ to 356¢/kg lwt. This has further separated the gap between the steer indicators as the market reflects the weight of gaining confidence. The Processor Cow Indicator similarly fell, easing 13¢ to 284¢/kg lwt, a seeming correction of the spikes seen last week.

Sheep Market

The sheep market was similarly mixed this week. Similar to cattle, yardings were impacted by interrupted sales.

Finished stock remained relatively stable, with the Heavy Lamb Indicator and Trade Lamb moving sideways to 815¢ and 801¢/kg cwt.

Restocker lambs eased to 669¢/kg cwt, driven mostly by confidence in NSW markets pulling prices up last week, and a lack of competitive pulling them back down. The National Mutton Indicator continued its decline, down 78¢ to 431¢/kg cwt, despite a significant reduction in the supply of mutton through yards. Moving through autumn, it is likely we will see a continued reduction in supply.

Slaughter

Week Ending 11 April 2025

Processing volumes for the week ending 11 April lifted from last week as processors recovered from the impact of the floods in Queensland and prepared for several weeks of interrupted processing. Processing volumes tend to lift in the week before Easter, and this year’s increases are in line with this historical trend.

The next two slaughter reports will be impacted by the upcoming short weeks.

Cattle Slaughter

National slaughter lifted 6% to 152,180 head, thanks to significant lifts in NSW and Victoria. Both states had their largest kill weeks in five years, processing 37,994 and 25,411 head, respectively.

Consistent lifts across all states last week (up 0–⁠8%) also contributed:

• NSW up 6% to 37,994
• Queensland up 6% to 77,335
• SA up 1% to 3,815
• Tasmania up 1% to 5,016
• Victoria up 8% to 25,411
• WA steady at 2,609.

Sheep Slaughter

Lamb processing reached records, lifting 4% for a record throughput of 527,045 head, the fourth consecutive week above the half-million mark. This reflects the continued supply of the 2024 lamb cohort, many of which were retained longer due to poorer conditions and weight gain decisions.

NSW throughput lifted 5% to 131,364, its largest week since September 2024. Victoria’s throughput also lifted 3% last week to 261,758, the second-largest state throughput, just behind last month’s record. State-by-state breakdown was as follows:

• NSW up 5% to 131,364
• Queensland up 4% to 1,460
• SA up 8% to 61,959
• Tasmania up 7% to 11,563
• Victoria up 3% to 261,758
• WA up 1% to 58,941.

Lifts were also seen in sheep slaughter, which increased 4% to 197,580, though throughput remained below the 2025 average. Increases across both categories took the combined slaughter to 724,627 head, the third largest throughput of the year.

Attribute to: Erin Lukey, MLA Senior Market Information Analyst.

 

 

Farmers Urged to Increase Biosecurity Measures Following Heightened Risk Assessment

Livestock farmers across the United Kingdom are being urged to bolster their biosecurity protocols following an official increase in the threat level for foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) from ‘low’ to ‘medium’. The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) announced the change earlier today, citing a heightened risk of the highly contagious animal disease entering the country.

While there are currently no confirmed cases of foot-and-mouth in the UK, the raising of the threat level reflects growing concerns within the agricultural sector and government agencies. This decision comes on the heels of recent outbreaks of the disease in mainland Europe, particularly in Hungary and Slovakia, as reported earlier this month. These incidents have increased the perceived likelihood of the virus being inadvertently introduced to the UK through the movement of animals, animal products, or even contaminated materials.

Foot-and-mouth disease is a severe and highly infectious viral illness that affects cloven-hoofed animals, including cattle, sheep, pigs, and deer. An outbreak in the UK could have devastating consequences for the agricultural industry, potentially leading to widespread culling of livestock, significant economic losses, and restrictions on trade. The memory of the 2001 foot-and-mouth crisis, which cost the UK billions of pounds and led to the slaughter of millions of animals, remains fresh in the minds of farmers and policymakers.

In response to the elevated threat level, Defra is advising all livestock keepers to review and strengthen their biosecurity measures immediately. This includes:

• Strict control of access to farms and animal housing: Limiting unnecessary visitors and ensuring thorough disinfection of vehicles and footwear.
• Enhanced hygiene practices: Implementing rigorous cleaning and disinfection protocols for equipment, vehicles, and personnel.
• Careful sourcing of animals and animal products: Ensuring all new livestock are sourced from reputable, disease-free sources and adhering to all import regulations.
• Vigilant monitoring of animal health: Regularly checking livestock for any signs of foot-and-mouth disease, such as blisters on the mouth, feet, and teats, excessive salivation, and lameness.
• Prompt reporting of any suspicious signs: Contacting a veterinarian or the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) immediately if any unusual symptoms are observed.

Speaking earlier today, a Defra spokesperson emphasised the importance of proactive measures: “The increase in the foot-and-mouth disease threat level to ‘medium’ is a precautionary measure to reflect the evolving situation in Europe. While the risk remains that the disease could enter the UK, taking robust biosecurity measures is the most effective way to protect our livestock and the wider agricultural economy. We urge all farmers to remain vigilant and implement the necessary steps to safeguard their animals.”

The threat level will likely lead to increased scrutiny at UK borders, with stricter checks on imports of meat and dairy products from the European Union. Travellers returning from the continent are also being reminded of the regulations regarding the import of animal products and the potential risks they pose to UK agriculture.

Organisations representing farmers across the UK have echoed Defra’s call for heightened vigilance. The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has issued guidance to its members, stressing the need for collective responsibility in preventing the introduction and spread of the disease.

As the situation in Europe continues to be monitored closely, UK farmers are bracing themselves and implementing stricter measures to protect their livelihoods and the nation’s livestock from the potentially devastating impact of foot-and-mouth disease. The coming weeks will be crucial in ensuring that the increased threat level does not translate into a real outbreak on UK soil.