26 July 2011

2 minute read

Europe

In the four weeks ending July 10, compared to a year ago, fresh and frozen pork was up 14.8 per cent, with fresh and frozen beef 13.1 per cent higher.

While this time of year might be expected to see higher sales of BBQ fayre, like burgers and sausages, it is actually roast and stewing cuts that are seeing the biggest difference from a year ago.

Beef 2nd quality stewing was up 64.6 per cent, beef 1st quality stewing up 40 per cent, while pork leg roasting joints have seen a 62 per cent rise, and pork loin roasting 50.6 per cent.

“During the summer months, we would not expect to see strong sales of roasts more traditionally associated with winter months,” said Richard Cullen, retail and consumer insight manager for EBLEX and BPEX.

“However, there have not been as many opportunities to eat summer or BBQ type food in the last month as the weather has been cooler and wetter, and therefore meat dishes that require some cooking, like roasts, would benefit from this. The opposite of the equation of course is that sales of BBQ food have suffered compared to this time last year, though they were perhaps unusually high last year because it was a World Cup year.”

The latest figures from Kantar show that overall, sales of fresh and frozen meat, including poultry and bacon, for the four weeks to July 10 are 4.6 per cent higher than the same period in 2010.