Shopping for meat online is a quick and convenient way to buy delicious, high-quality produce. With an impressive range of premium cuts available to choose from and greater transparency and traceability than you typically get with supermarket-bought meat, it’s clear to see why this modern method of buying meat is becoming ever more popular with British households. Whether you’re looking for the finest quality meat sourced from local farms or just want to browse for a good deal and save on your weekly shop, there are some key things to know when buying meat online. Experts from The Dorset Meat Company explain the ins and outs.
Choosing who to buy your meat from
There are various online butchers that deliver, but you want to find one that is reputable, trustworthy and that offers everything you’re looking for. Here some things to think about before making your first order:
Business credentials
Who runs the business you’re buying from and what do you know about them? It pays to be a discerning shopper and get your prospective new online butcher figured out before making a purchase, checking that they’re reliable and that their values align with your own.
A good place to start is to look at where their meat is coming from and the types of farms they work with. An online butcher that works with small, local farms is one that has greater control over the quality and ethicality of the produce they sell, having handpicked these suppliers because they have confidence in them. Some online butchers sell only free-range grass-fed and organic meat, meaning it’s ethically sourced, environmentally friendly and supports the rural economy. These online butchers that deliver can provide high-quality meat when and where you want it, but have the additional benefit of being completely transparent and traceable. A good, ethical online butcher will be open about their values and the way they do things.
Delivery options
One of the main benefits of shopping with online butchers that deliver is that your chosen meat is brought directly to your door. Check out the delivery schedule to make sure it works for you, but be wary of butchers that deliver too frequently, as this requires them to have a lot of perishable stock with a short shelf life on hand. You should also check what the company’s policy on substitutes is – if something you order is out of stock, what will you be offered instead?
A good online butcher will have a few delivery options for you to choose from, balancing inventory levels with customer experience. You should also look at the specifics of how your meat will be delivered – do you need to be in to receive it, and if it’s left in a safe place, will it be properly packaged to keep your meat cold and fresh?
How is your meat being supplied?
Dispatching meat frozen may help online butchers with stock control, but it’s not as convenient for the customer and restricts their options for cooking. The best online butchers deliver their meat fresh to give you a high-quality product you can use straight away, dispatching the contents of your order in robust packaging that is temperature controlled and designed to keep it chilled.
Testimonials
Before choosing an online butcher, have a look online and see what other customers are saying about them. Do they have a series of glowing five-star reviews, or are some key concerns repeatedly cropping up? If you’re impressed by a company’s website and everything seems great, looking over some reviews and recommendations is a great way to reassure you before you go ahead with your order.