MORRISONS has issued blue “passports” to its fresh lamb joints this Easter to show they are 100 per cent British.

The passport design, complete with its own crown and crest, is inspired by the iconic blue British passport first introduced in 1921 and set to be reintroduced in 2019.

Morrisons will not sell fresh New Zealand or Australian lamb over Easter after listening to customers – 68 per cent wanted to support British farmers – citing freshness (48 per cent) and better quality (28 per cent) of product.

Approximately one third of lamb sold in British supermarkets is from overseas, but Morrisons buys direct from British livestock farms, working closely with them to ensure they have enough lambs available to meet the enormous Easter demand.

Last year the supermarket sourced 650,000 lambs from 1,150 British farmers.

Paul Allman, Morrisons lamb buyer, said: “Our customers want to buy British and support local farmers so we’re making a clear promise that if you buy fresh lamb at Morrisons this Easter – it will be British. Our great value lamb – complete with its own blue passport – will help more families put a great British roast on their table this Sunday.”

Over Easter Morrisons will run a £5 per kilo offer on lamb leg joints. As well as lamb leg, it will also sell a variety of unusual British fresh lamb cuts such as shoulder joints, lamb guard of honour, fillets, chops and steaks – all prepared by its in store butchers.

Morrisons is British farming’s biggest supermarket customer. Over two thirds of its food is British, compared to a national average of 52 per cent. All Morrisons-branded fresh meat and everything on its butchers’ counters is 100 per cent British.