More than three quarters of consumers have been put off buying steak after a bad experience with a tough cut – with one third of those saying they waited at least a month before buying one again.
But inconsistency is the biggest barrier to those who don’t buy as regularly and it is costing the industry millions in lost revenue each year.
The research is revealed in the latest edition of The Cutting Edge, AHDB Beef & Lamb’s quarterly category report, which is this time given over to looking at consumer buying habits when it comes to steak. It shows a healthy appetite for premium quality steaks, with appearance and price still the main drivers for the majority of people.
“It is great that this research robustly illustrates that a good steak is still at the heart of many consumers’ regular shopping,” said Mike Whittemore, head of trade and product development at AHDB Beef & Lamb.”I believe, however, that we’re missing an opportunity to grow the sector even further. Our latest research shows that three out of four regular steak consumers have experienced a tough steak and, out of these, 22 per cent were put off buying again for some time – a third of them for more than three months. That’s a lot of people we’re hacking off, not just in terms of a poor eating experience, but in effectively dissuading them from repeat purchases and missing out on a significant potential sales uplift.”
AHDB Beef & Lamb has undertaken a significant amount of work in this area through its cut development activity, using modern butchery techniques and establishing the optimum specification to help ensure consistency right across the steak range.
They have issued a “come and speak to us” plea to retailers, processors and suppliers to help push up the standards of consistency in the marketplace.
“We can work with you to add value and grow the steak sector of the beef market even further,” added Mike.
You can download your free copy of the steak report from their website or to speak to the team, call 07973 702418.
