The discount supermarket, Aldi, has been praised by the National Pig Association (NPA) for its success in boosting sales of British pork.
Already a 100% supporter of British fresh pork, the supermarket achieved a pigmeat sales volume increase of over 10% last month, with leg and shoulder joints reported to have sold “particularly well”.
NPA said that while the sales rise was due partly to the English pig industry’s Pulled Pork television campaign, the Aldi surge was mainly down to the supermarket’s competitive pricing strategy.
“We are particularly encouraged by this news from Aldi,” said NPA chairman, Richard Lister, adding that while the industry’s current low prices remained “beyond our control”, retailers could help by putting more British pork on their shelves, particularly in the form of convenience meals, and promoting it strongly to improve sales.
NPA chief executive, Dr Zoe Davies, agreed, commenting that Aldi’s support could be pivotal in stopping the current low farm-gate price for British pigs plunging producers even further into the red.
She also welcomed a “raft of measures” being taken by the discounter to increase mid-week pork sales, including moving ready-to-cook gammon-and-honey from europork to British pork, whilst increasing the pack size but holding the price at its previous level.
“In January and February it also launched eight pork promotions including sausages, large packs of pork medallions, slow-cooked gammon shanks, and pork fillet with apple butter,” she said. “We know from Aldi that these promotions proved very popular with customers, so are likely to be repeated.”