Retail sales of pork continued to fall during the 12 weeks to November 8, with 560,000 fewer shoppers buying than a year earlier, according to AHDB Pork.
Based on figures provided by Kantar Worldpanel, the decline in sales applied to both fresh pork and bacon.
“Chops and legs were the biggest drivers of the volume decline,” said AHDB Pork, noting that falls for these products more than offset small levels of growth for pork steaks and a 5% increase in sales volume for pork mince.
The decline in bacon volumes over the same 12 week period was put at 4%, despite a fall in price. This was mainly due to shoppers switching to other products and buying less.
“There is also evidence that health is becoming a bigger driver for consumers, with a recent YouGov survey showing 34% of respondents are looking to reduce saturated fat levels in their diet,” said AHDB Pork.