LMC: Beef Sales Under Pressure During September
NORTHERN IRELAND - Retail beef sales had been performing well in recent months with sharp increases in sales over the quarter ending 4 September. However, the trade has come under pressure during September with beef volume sales showing a decline.Beef sales in GB were down by five per cent in
volume terms in the four weeks ending Sunday
2nd October. A six per cent increase in price was
one of the key drivers of this change.
Penetration
(the proportion of consumers buying beef) was
down by four per cent. The amount bought by
those consumers that did purchase beef (average
weight per purchase) was down by two per cent.
Roasting joint sales were down by 19 per cent year
on year in the four weeks ending 2 October with
sales of frying and grilling cuts down by eight per
cent.
Sales of stewing cuts were up however by 2
per cent, the only beef cut to have registered an
increase in sales last month.
On the positive side
however, consumer expenditure on beef was
unchanged year-on-year with the higher prices and
lower volumes cancelling each other out.
Lamb also had volume sales declines in
September. This is a continuation of a trend that
has been in evidence throughout the year. Volume
lamb sales are down by 15 per cent year-on-year,
with prices up by 15 per cent. Worryingly, it is clear
that some consumers are taking lamb off the
menu, probably because of price.
Penetration was
down by nine per cent during September (year-onyear), and for the last 52 weeks, penetration is
down by 11 per cent. The average weight per
purchase was down by seven per cent in
September.
The general decline in lamb sales has been driven
by a decline in volumes across all cuts. In
September, shoulder roasting joints (-28 per cent)
showed the largest decline this period.
While beef and lamb sales have been under
pressure, pork sales have held up.
Average retail
pork prices were eight per cent higher during
September and because volume sales were
unchanged, total retail expenditure on pork
increased by eight per cent during the period
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