Beef mince “continues to hold its place at the centre of British family meals” despite its steady rise in price through the past year, according to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).
Following 52 weeks of surveying, AHDB crowned beef mince as the most popular and trusted type of mince amongst shoppers, with pork, lamb and chicken “lagging far behind.”
In its latest report, the development board stated that 70% of GB households bought beef mince, while retailers sold 134 million kilos of beef mince, accounting for 73% of all mince purchases.
Prices
AHDB estimated that the average price of beef mince has risen by almost 28.7% in the past year, driven by high inflation across the beef category.
The rising price of beef mince has resulted in retail volumes dropping by -8.3%, while household penetration for beef mince has decreased by 3.1% as well.
The report from AHDB recognised that consumers have a “strong sense” for what a pack of mince should cost, typically expecting a 500g pack to sit between £3 and £5.
When prices creep above that level, a consumer is more likely to switch from mince to cheaper alternatives, according to AHDB.
Trends
AHDB noted that the loyalty for beef mince among British consumers is driven by a “combination of practicality and strong emotional attachment”, crediting traditional meals such as spaghetti bolognese, lasagne, chilli con carne, and cottage pie.
As beef mince prices continue to rise, the development board outlined that more consumers are starting to choose cheaper proteins outside of mince, primarily chicken breast, wings, legs, and thighs.
The size of mince packs has been identified as a key trend that is influencing consumer behaviour, with larger packs emerging popular due to their value for money.
AHDB
Emma Wantling, who is the retail and consumer insight manager at AHDB, pointed to health considerations as another factor shaping consumer choices.
She said: “5% fat mince is widely seen as the healthier option and now accounts for more than half of all beef mince volumes.
“At the same time, some households are trading up to higher fat mince to reduce spend, with volumes of 15–19% fat mince growing year on year.
“People are changing pack sizes, fat contents and how often they buy, but beef mince still earns its place in the trolley,” Wantling added.