Budget supermarket Lidl has been accused of going against the Christmas spirit by putting “Rudolph” meat at the centre of a multi-million pound advertising campaign.
The German-owned chain is selling reindeer steaks for £7.99 each as part of its premium range - which also includes venison, quail and partridge - in a bid to attract middle-class shoppers.
The company has sold reindeer steaks before and insisted they are “back by popular demand”. But animal welfare campaigners branded reindeer meat a “sick novelty” that endangers wolves and bears.
Justin Kerswell, of animal welfare and vegetarian group Viva!, said: “What Lidl aren’t telling their customers is that to put reindeer meat on British shelves other large wild animals are systematically hunted, or trapped, and shot. All that seemingly matters to this cut-price supermarket is delivering sick novelty and the pursuit of profit this Christmastime.”
But Lidl defended the decision. A spokesman said: “The animals are slaughtered in strict accordance with EU guidelines in a EU certified slaughterhouse, where the animals are stunned prior to the slaughtering process. We takes issues of animal welfare as well as environmental protection very seriously.”
