The spot market went flat last week and tonight the Traffic Light's base is down a penny to 112p.

The pig industry is concerned that retailers may be reverting to type. A spokesman for British Pig Industry Support Group said tonight its members would not accept supermarket-driven price cuts without a fight.

"Supplies of our product remain tight; therefore in our view any cut in price will be a result of sustained and unreasonable pressure by some leading retailers."

NPA chairman Stewart Houston said he would be contacting senior figures among the retailers to ask them to reiterate their claimed commitment to high-welfare British pork.

Pig-keepers are concerned that despite supermarket protestations they want to build sustainable supply chains (as Waitrose, M&S, Budgens and the Coop have done), some retailers are intent on price cuts as a knee-jerk response to a wobbly national economy and increased High Street pressures.