There is nothing but stubbornness stopping M&S from dumping grouse meat. They have dumped it in the previous two years – once for a good reason and once for a bad reason. Last year, they just used what looked like an excuse but in 2014 they said they wouldn’t sell grouse meat until they received independent confirmation that estates are complying with the code that they were producing with GWCT and the RSPB. Since then the ‘industry-leading’ code of conduct has been much talked about but not seen outside the confines of M&S, the RSPB say ‘if the code of practice follows existing moorland management systems then it will fall short of what we believe to be sustainable moorland management. This would be a disappointing development.‘
So, the only thing that has changed is that the RSPB has baled out, the code of practice has become a secret document and that M&S has handled the issue incredibly badly.
Oh yes, something else has changed – the LAG report is published and I got grouse samples bought in Iceland stores analysed showing even higher lead levels than in previous government tests.
And something else has changed – M&S has handled the PR about this subject appallingly badly – they look like they don’t know what they are talking about and they sound like they don’t care what their customers think – or even what their customers want to know.
You would have to be a very stubborn man, for I doubt that any woman would take this line, to go ahead with selling a niche item from which you can make little money even if it goes well when the lack of brand integrity and customer trust is so very damaging.
So, perhaps the new boss of M&S, Steve Rowe, ought to go for a stroll through his headquarters and have this conversation with some random woman employee in the corridor:
Steve Rowe: Excuse me, I’m Steve Rowe, the Chief Exec.
Random woman: I know. Pleased to meet you.
Steve Rowe: Do you have a minute, I need some advice, please?
Random woman: Advice from me? OK.
Steve Rowe: I’m thinking of selling grouse meat that has high levels of lead in it and comes from shooting estates that we can’t reveal to the public. What do you think?
Random woman: Doesn’t sound great – will we make lots of money out of it?
Steve Rowe: I doubt it.
Random woman: Will anyone notice?
Steve Rowe: Yes, they will. It’s quite a contentious subject. Some people are going to boycott all our stores and others are going to buy the meat and get it tested to see how high the lead levels are.
Random woman: And lead…it’s not good for us I guess?
Steve Rowe: No, it’s not. There are no agreed safe levels. And the meat we sell is certain to have very high levels.
Random woman: So, let me get this straight. We are going to sell a rather rubbish product that we can’t easily defend and we aren’t going to make much money out of it and there’s going to be a big storm if we go ahead?
Steve Rowe: Yes.
Random woman: How much do you get paid each year?
Steve Rowe: You think we shouldn’t do it?
Random woman: I know we shouldn’t do it. I might start boycotting our stores myself if we do.
Steve Rowe: Ahh! Yes. thank you, that’s very helpful.
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Today’s response to my letter to Robert Swannell M&S Chairman in advance of the AGM, states that “the reason we are currently unable to hare our Codes of Practice with our customer is they are yet to be published”!
I did however receive a copy of their “Standards”, banner “Plan A, doing the right thing” which tells us that “All M&S game comes from a single game supplier, Yorkshire Game, who source and work closely with selected, known estates across northern England and the Scottish Borders”. No mention of course of which these estates are. Is it possible that, by repeating again and again the “surplus” statement, they really don’t understand that it’s not the survival of grouse as a species that concerns us but the means by which a surplus is achieved.
Also wrote to Steve Rowe, CEO, but have yet to get a reply.