Coles provides hormone-free beef

Coles is sourcing hormone growth promotant (HGP)-free beef from its Australian cattle producers to achieve its goal of providing customers with the best quality fresh food.

Coles will be the first national food retailer to provide only HGP-free beef.

Coles General Manager of the meat department, Allister Watson, said Coles worked cooperatively with beef suppliers over 18 months to build a hormone-free supply chain.

“Coles is aware of widespread consumer concerns about additives in food and livestock and animal welfare practices,” Watson said.

“A range of scientific studies have also confirmed that hormone growth promotants can adversely affect eating quality.

“The Meat Standards Australia (MSA) grading system shows that meat quality is significantly better without the use of HGPs.”

Watson said a key outcome for Coles was that neither consumers nor suppliers would be financially disadvantaged by the move to better quality meat.

“We’ve agreed with our suppliers that Coles will absorb any additional production costs that arise from moving to HGP-free beef and we’ll ensure that Coles' on-shelf beef prices are not affected by this move,” he said.

The Chief Executive of Australian Country Choice, David Foote, a major Coles beef supplier based in Queensland, said the move would be a positive for customers and a new supply opportunity for cattle producers.

“I applaud Coles for striving to continuously improve the eating quality of Coles beef for its consumers and for working closely with its cattle suppliers to deliver a fair outcome for all parties,” Foote said.

Coles HGP-free beef range is already available in selected Coles stores. Coles butcher beef will be progressively converted to HGP-free in stores from January 2011.