Retail pigmeat sales have shown welcome growth, despite higher prices, bucking the general downward trend of recent years, the latest Kantar data shows.
Pigmeat volume sales grew by 0.9%, equivalent to nearly 2,000 tonnes, to 212.4 million kg in the 12 weeks to May 18, while a 1.5% increase in the average price resulted in a healthy 2.4% year-on-year increase in spend to £1.55 billion. Pigmeat’s performance was helped by big year-on-year increases in both beef and lamb prices over the period.
Primary pigmeat
However, there was mixed performance within the categories. The less good news was that volumes of primary pigmeat cuts, where the UK is strongest, were down 3.6% to 31.7m kg over this period. However, spend was virtually unmoved at just below £200m, on the back of a 3.8% increase in average prices.
Total roasting volumes were down 8.8%, with leg roasting down 25.4% due to decreases in volumes purchased per buyer, volumes purchased per trip and shopper numbers. Loin roasting (-5.2%) and shoulder roasting (-4.2%) also recorded volume declines due to decreases in buyers and frequency of purchase, according to Elisya Zain, AHDB retail and consumer insight analyst.
However, chops (+5.8%) and fillet (+2.4%) saw volume increases due to increases in frequency of purchase, while higher mince volumes (+2.5%) were driven by increases in frequency of purchase and volumes purchased per trip.
Processed pigmeat
The overall pigmeat volume increase was partly driven by a 0.5% increase in processed pigmeat volumes to 122m kg, translating into a 0.3% increase in spend to £950m, driven by the performances of gammon and sausages.
Gammon sales were up 8.9% due to an increase in frequency of purchase and volume purchased per trip, helped by a decrease in average price per volume, while sausages saw a 1.5% increase in volumes driven by increases in frequency of purchase. Bacon volumes were down 3% and sliced cooked meat volumes sales were 0.2% lower.
Added value
The big mover, however, was added value, which saw a 14.9% increase in volume purchased to 8.6m kg. Marinades volumes were up 28.4% due to an increase in buyers and frequency of purchases, likely driven by a decrease in average price per volume.
Sous vide was up 6.3% on the back of an increase in volume purchased per trip and shopper numbers. Ready-to-cook pig meat saw a 13.0% increase in volumes due to higher buyer numbers, volume purchased per trip and frequency of purchase, despite an 8.1% increase in average price.
Beef and lamb prices
A big driver of higher retail demand for pork has been the price of competing meats. The Kantar data showeda 2.4% drop in retail beef volumes, on the back of a 7.7% rise in retail prices, and an 8.8% drop in lamb sales as prices rose by 5.1% over the 12-week period.