The Co-op, the UK’s fifth-largest retailer, has announced a commitment to stock 100% British in all its fresh meat offering, plus eggs, milk, yoghurt and butter. It means there will be no place on Co-op shelves for the likes of Danish pork or New Zealand lamb.

The undertaking also includes 100% British meat in pies, sandwiches and chilled ready meals, so often a back door for imported meat to get on to retail shelves.

It is a significant commitment, and it will be interesting to see if other retailers follow suit. Simple logic would suggest that if Co-op gets any sort of a boost to food sales, others will quickly follow.

According to the Co-op, its decision to go 100% British is in response to customers who want more done to back British farming. That may be true, but it is also reasonable to suggest that the Brexit vote brought with it a rise in nationalism, and that is something that is only going to harden in the years ahead. The Co-op has been quick to note the opportunity, and it might ultimately pay them a dividend.

A contrasting move was a decision by Tesco to stock some Argentinian beef in a number of stores in Wales. It brought swift rebuttal from farming organisations, forcing Tesco to issue a statement defending the policy. The supermarkets all hate negative publicity. The main farming unions are in a powerful position to hold retailers to account.

A commitment from major UK retailers to back UK farmers is positive. But no one should be getting carried away given the challenges that lie ahead around Brexit. We must also remember that supermarkets demand high quality, good service, and historically don’t pay prices that support inefficient producers. That won’t change into the future, 100% British or not.