61% of the UK red meat consumers are willing to pay extra for better quality
Over the last 25 years, the number of butchers in the UK has decreased by 60%, according to data from the Office for National Statistics but new trends among shoppers are reviving this segment, according to Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board.
Fresh red meat shoppers are more prepared than average to invest time shopping for their meat, wanting to become more informed about the product.
Quality is the main criteria but is also combined with factors such as ethical production and origin. 61% of the shoppers say they would be willing to pay extra for better quality meat, and 30% say they try to buy local produce to reduce their food miles. While many independent butchers are able to deliver on these factors, they remain in competition with supermarket chains, which continue to offer convenience as a key selling point. As well as offering a full range of pre-packed cuts of meat, many large supermarkets also have butchery counters that compete directly with High Street butchers. The convenience of including meat in the ‘main shop' has resulted in a significant shift in the way consumers make their purchases.
There are different trends observed in the British market and sometimes it refers to the type of meat, as for example pork, for which butcher sales were down by almost 13% last year, and who is outperformed by pre-packed products.
Contrary to the overall trend, loose beef and lamb outperformed pre-packed, again driven principally by butcher performance. While beef and lamb sales from the top 5 multiples declined by 2% and 10%, respectively in the last year, sales of beef from butchers increased by 3% and lamb sales from butchers only declined by 4%. Data from Kantar Worldpanel shows that total declines in loose red meat sales are mainly driven by existing meat purchasers simply buying less red meat, rather than purchasing pre-packed instead.
Environmental issues are also important as 91% of those who purchase fresh meat from the meat/butcher counter would be willing to switch to butcher meat wrapped in paper to cut down on plastic packaging, according to a survey initiated last year by AHDB/YouGov.
"With scratch cooking firmly back in fashion, butchers have the opportunity to encourage consumers to cook with unusual or less popular cuts of meat, while multiple retailers tend to stock only the most popular cuts. Butchers can use their expertise to advise on the best cooking approaches and recipe recommendations to allow shoppers to make informed choices. The challenge now for butchers is to offer something different to draw people in. As we see more movement towards ‘kitchen-ready’ meals that can be cooked easily within a certain time frame to fit around work, family and social activities, butchers could capitalise on this with pre-prepared meats.
Furthermore, with shoppers becoming more concerned about the environmental impact of their actions, sourcing locally could help alleviate some of their concerns. However, to follow the trend, butchers may need to think about introducing online shopping or click and collect options for convenience", recommended Amye Brassington, Trainee Analyst for AHDB.
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