As this year’s Christmas birds are putting on weight, members of the NFU Turkey Industry Forum are developing the 2006 marketing and promotion campaign which this year is aimed at persuading consumers to look for, ask for, and buy British turkey for their Christmas dinner.

NFU poultry board vice chairman Mike Bailey said: “Most butchers are selling turkeys from the UK, but many shoppers now buy a crown or breast joint, rather than a whole bird.

These cuts can be imported from Poland or as far away as South America, with the consumer unaware they are not buying British meat. The turkey campaign is all about encouraging shoppers to question the origin of the turkey before they buy.”

New merchandise will be launched in the autumn which will help consumers to recognise British turkey.

The best dressed Christmas turkeys will be carrying the new UK turkey logo and they will be carried home in the newly designed turkey boxes (pictured right) or carrier bags and cooked to perfection following a recipe developed by a top celebrity chef.

October 2006 will see the re-launch of the Ted Turkey website which will also encourage the consumer to source local turkey and to ask for British turkey meat.

A list of local suppliers will be published on the website, providing the opportunity for NFU seasonal poultry members to be listed in order to boost business.

With 80,000 hits last year and a structured publicity campaign planned for 2006, the Ted Turkey website is expected to get even more hits this year.

Get yourself listed...for free

If you would like to be listed for free, please email your details to: [email protected] including your NFU membership number, contact name, telephone number, address, and your website details, if applicable. ThePoultrySite News Desk