Fish in first plaice again
Christmas is coming and the battle of the retailer adverts has begun. Meat, Fish and Poultry (MFP) is a key part of the Christmas season, so we are already working to identify for the new trends in your market. The latest figures from Kantar Worldpanel for the 12 weeks ending 6th November 2016 show all macro categories are back in volume growth, except Sliced Cooked Meats. We’ve seen value growth continue to lag behind volume growth in all Meat & Poultry categories, but we’re yet to see evidence of inflationary rises hitting this market.
Chilled Fish continues to thrive with both value and volume in growth. Nathan Ward, Business Unit Director for MFP explains: “Compared with last year, Chilled Fish has seen 645,000 more shoppers, with Added Value bringing in the most new shoppers. Added Value, Battered and Shellfish are the key markets in driving growth for Chilled Fish. Salmon, Prawns, Haddock, Cod and Sea Bass are the biggest contributors to the increased value of the category, with Salmon and Prawns important to the growth in Added Value – and Cod, Sea Bass and Salmon seeing strong growth in Natural.”
Within Fresh Primary Meat & Poultry, Chicken and Beef are the major categories growing volume, with the decline of Turkey accelerating at an unexpected time of the year. Ward continues: “Pork, Lamb and Turkey are all seeing volume losses despite falling prices in these categories, as shoppers buy them less often. At the same time, Pork and Lamb are also seeing over 300,000 fewer shoppers buying them, further driving down sales. Fresh Beef has moved back into growth, with more shoppers buying more frequently. Steak and Mince are the key drivers of volume, with Roasts moving back into growth after a depressed autumn period.
Promotions are a key driver of growth, with promotional volumes up 10% on last year, as TPRs dominate promotions. Chicken remains the category to beat in terms of volume growth and has moved into value growth this period. Roasts, particularly Whole Birds, have come back to growth in the latest period, whilst Legs and Breasts continue to show strong shopper led growth.”
Our next data release with be published in 4 weeks’ time and will start to reflect the build up to Christmas. Will we see the traditional markets grow as people prepare for Christmas? And will fish continue to swim against the inflationary tide?
