Minister Mrs Amaia Barredo encourages supermarkets to pay "special attention to our farmers, fisherman, winemakers, and producers with local, high-quality products"

• The Basque Minister participated in the BM Forum at Anoeta Stadium alongside José Ramón Fernández de Barrena, Ángel Jareño, Ion Uranga, Eñaut Sala, and Nuria Morales.
• More than 150 local Basque suppliers from the agri-food sector attended the BM Forum in Donostia-St Sebastián.
• BM Supermarkets has invested €251 million in purchases from local producers in the Basque Country, Navarre, Cantabria, La Rioja, and Madrid.

Donostia-St Sebastián      Basque Country 2025 05 21

Mrs Amaia Barredo, Minister of Food, Rural Development, Agriculture, and Fisheries of the Basque Government, has encouraged supermarket and food distribution chains operating in the Basque Country to pay "special attention to our farmers, fisherman, viticulturists, winemakers, and producers from the primary sector, since their products are synonymous with local origin and high quality.”

Barredo participated in the BM Forum, which took place this morning at Real Sociedad's Anoeta stadium. José Ramón Fernández de Barrena, Ángel Jareño, Ion Uranga, Eñaut Sala, and Nuria Morales spoke.

“If BM has anything to boast about, it's this 'differentiated' business model, which focuses on fresh, locally sourced or zero-mile products. I think this is where we should continue to focus, since the commitment to healthy, sustainable, local, and zero-waste food will set the tone for this area” Mrs Amaia Barredo told the attendees.

As Amaia Barredo explained, “Uvesco is a business model that understands competitiveness as a whole: logistics excellence, technological innovation, shopping experience, and sustainability. In 2024, its online store grew by 16%, and 30% of the contents of the digital shopping cart are already fresh produce, demonstrating that technology is not incompatible with authenticity and origin.”

Sustainable Commitment

She also considered “BM and Uvesco's commitment to sustainability exemplary, as it holds the AENOR Circular Strategy Certification, with 28,366 tons of CO₂ avoided, a 95% recycling rate in its plants, and a clear commitment to sustainable packaging and plastic reduction, of which 50% is already recycled.”

“Along with all this, its social involvement also deserves special recognition. Uvesco donates more than 220 tons per year to Food Banks, supports popular events, and promotes health and wellness awareness campaigns, such as those dedicated to cancer and hypertension. It also supports sports with Real Sociedad, Club Bidasoa, Super Amara Bera Bera, Hondarribia Arraun Elkartea, and the Euskadi Cycling Foundation,” stated Amaia Barredo.

“These are times of change for the supermarket and distribution sectors, and together we will make this a positive development. It is always possible that local products will be prioritized in this management,” added Barredo.

BM Supermarkets today brought together more than 150 local Basque agri-food suppliers at the BM Forum to highlight the importance of fresh produce and promote healthy, quality eating. This is the fourth edition of the Forum, which demonstrates BM's commitment to developing partnerships with the primary sector and suppliers in its area of ​​operation.

As a result of this model, its stores feature high-quality, fully guaranteed products from more than 490 local producers, in addition to being locally sourced. In fact, by 2024, the chain has invested €251 million in purchases from producers in the Basque Country, Navarre, Cantabria, La Rioja, and Madrid.

Through this commitment, BM Supermarkets meets three fundamental objectives related to sustainability and framed within the United Nations SDGs: ensuring quality food for citizens with the assurance of offering top-quality products, promoting the local economy and sustainable development of the primary sector, and reducing the impact on the environment.

Coastal Promotion

According to Ion Uranga, head of strategic projects for the commercial area of ​​BM Supermarkets, "this is a model the group has championed since its inception and has developed over its years of experience, allowing us to create our own distinct identity in the sector".

Furthermore, it maintains daily relations with the main ports of the Cantabrian Sea: Hondarribia, Getaria, Pasajes, Ondárroa, Bermeo, Santander, Santoña, Laredo, Castro Urdiales, and San Vicente de la Barquera. This contributes to promoting the economic activity of these local markets and guarantees a top-quality product in the fish markets of all establishments.