Shoots urged to find new ways to get birds into the food chain

Industry adapts to changing partridge market

Shoots are being urged to keep more partridge for home use and donate surplus birds to those in food poverty as market demand collapses this season.

The warning comes as traditional markets struggle to absorb increased supply following post-pandemic changes. Many shoots expanded their partridge programmes to recoup losses from disrupted seasons during lockdown, but demand has since shrunk dramatically.

Export markets have tightened, with European processors finding partridge more expensive to process than pheasant. According to Eat Wild chief executive Louisa Clutterbuck, the bird is “more time-consuming” to handle, while Brexit has added further logistical hurdles.

Some processors have abandoned small game entirely. Essex-based Ben Rigby Game, which once handled 40,000 birds a week, has shifted focus to venison after 45 years. “There’s no money in small game,” said founder Ben Rigby. Others, such as BG Game Meat in Warwickshire, are prioritising only long-standing clients. “Apart from the shoots that we’ve worked with for years, we’re not taking any other partridge on at all,” managing director Hugo Saunders confirmed.

A sustainable outlet

The situation is now so acute that some game dealers are charging shoots for collection rather than paying for birds. This makes charitable donation a vital alternative if game is to reach the food chain.

With 14.5 million people in the UK facing food insecurity, demand for donated game far outweighs supply.

SJ Hunt, chief executive of The Country Food Trust, which produces protein-rich meals for food banks and community kitchens, urged shoots to act. “We can take all of it. Give it to the Country Food Trust and it will feed people in need,” she told Shooting Times.

To improve access, the Trust is setting up small game hubs to help shoots distribute surplus locally. Its ability to accept unlimited birds means donations will not go to waste.

Planning for future partridge seasons

Meanwhile, Eat Wild’s Plan for the Plate campaign will return in April 2026. It calls on shoots to discuss market requirements with dealers before ordering birds. “We need to be thinking about the whole supply chain,” Ms Clutterbuck said. “Not just ‘can I sell all my days?’ but ‘if I sell my days, will all my birds be taken?’”

For this season, Eat Wild is urging shoots to plan carefully and ensure every bird is eaten. “Take birds home, give them to family, hand them round to neighbours, or fill the freezer,” Ms Clutterbuck emphasised.

With forward planning and better awareness of both traditional and charitable outlets, shoots can help ensure partridge shooting remains sustainable for the future.

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