April 4, 2007

Scotland consumers paying more for their pork
 

Pork consumers in Scotland have spent 47 million pounds on fresh pork last year, posting a 5 percent jump from 2005 due to increased volume sales, according to Quality Meat Scotland (QMS).

The rise in value sales was backed by an increase in quantity sales with over 10,000 tonnes of fresh pork being bought by shoppers - 600 tonnes up on what was being sold in 2004.

Charting the progress of the drive by QMS to build the Scottish pig sector's share of the market, chief executive, 'Uel Morton said the latest figures reveal that consumers in Scotland are eating and paying more for pork at the same time.

Morton said the increase is an "excellent news for our pig farmers and processors who have listened carefully to their customers and made the necessary changes in their production systems to supply the product they want."

The vast majority of fresh pork in Scotland is marketed and sold under the Specially Selected Pork brand. Of all the GB countries, Scotland stands alone in showing an increase in purchase frequency - up 4 percent over the last 12 months.

Pork has proved particularly popular in Scotland's independent butcher sector, with a 9 percent volume increase over the last 12 months.

QMS is channelling its marketing activities into a Scotland-wide radio campaign, backed up by in store sample. Independent consumer research indicates that more and more Scots now regard pork as a healthy option at meal times - 84 percent see health as a key theme, a 24 percent rise on last year.