Welsh shoppers are being encouraged to pay closer attention to the labels on lamb and beef as producers and industry organisations promote the protected status of Welsh meat.
The campaign coincides with the start of the official PGI Welsh Lamb season, with 1 August traditionally marked as Lamb Day.
The promotion is designed to emphasise the provenance, production standards and reputation associated with Welsh Lamb carrying Protected Geographical Indication status.
For shoppers, however, the most useful part of the campaign may be understanding what the designation actually tells them.
A PGI is not simply a marketing phrase. It is a protected geographical designation recognising a product's connection with a particular place and production method.
What PGI means on the label
Protected Geographical Indication is part of the UK's geographical indication system, which protects food and agricultural products associated with a particular region.
For consumers, the designation provides a way of distinguishing protected products from foods that may use similar geographical descriptions without meeting the relevant specification.
That distinction matters particularly with products such as lamb, where "Welsh" can describe a number of different things in everyday food marketing.
The PGI designation provides a more specific assurance about provenance.
When buying Welsh Lamb carrying the relevant protected designation, consumers are therefore not simply relying on the word "Welsh" appearing somewhere on packaging.
They are buying a product that meets the requirements associated with the protected name.
Lamb Day marks the start of the season
The campaign is being launched around Lamb Day, which takes place on 1 August and marks the official start of the Welsh Lamb season.
Welsh chef Bryn Williams is supporting the campaign, which includes activity designed to demonstrate the versatility of Welsh Lamb to consumers. A promotional event at London's Borough Market also brought Welsh producers into direct contact with shoppers through demonstrations and tastings.
The timing is significant for Welsh food businesses because lamb remains one of the country's most recognisable agricultural products.
It is also a product with strong links to the Welsh landscape and farming economy.
Why provenance matters to Welsh food
The emphasis on geographical provenance fits into a wider conversation about Welsh food.
Consumers increasingly encounter claims about where food has been produced, but those claims do not all carry the same meaning.
For independent Welsh producers and farmers, recognised geographical designations can help communicate a product's identity in markets where consumers may not know the individual producer.
That can be particularly important beyond Wales.
Welsh Lamb has an established reputation in export markets, and the protected designation gives buyers a formal means of identifying the product.
Welsh beef is part of the wider picture
The campaign also draws attention to Welsh Beef, another important product within the Welsh red-meat sector.
Local Welsh Food's producer directory includes butchers, farms and meat businesses across Wales, ranging from specialist Welsh beef and lamb producers to businesses making sausages, burgers and other prepared meat products.
For consumers, buying from a local butcher or directly from a farm can provide another way to find Welsh meat and learn more about its provenance.
However, the PGI mark provides something different: a recognised geographical designation that can be identified when shopping more widely.
A useful label for shoppers
The new campaign ultimately gives consumers a straightforward message: look at the label.
For anyone trying to buy Welsh meat, checking whether the product carries the relevant protected designation can provide more information than simply looking for a Welsh-sounding brand or geographical reference.
It is also a reminder that Welsh food is increasingly being defined not just by the ingredients themselves, but by provenance, production methods and the places from which products originate.
For Welsh farmers and food businesses, that recognition can help strengthen the connection between their products and Wales.
For shoppers, it offers another tool for making informed choices when buying meat.
Sources
Business Wales/Food & Drink Wales - PGI Welsh Lamb campaign and Lamb Day.
Local Welsh Food - Welsh meat producer directory.
