Leading pork producer Pilgrim’s UK is expecting to produce more than 36 million high quality pork products in the run up to Christmas, as more and more consumers put pork at the heart of their festive occasions.
Last year saw consumers switch from turkey to relatively lower cost and far more versatile meat options, such as gammon.
Changing consumer tastes, allied with concerns over turkey shortages saw a continued decline in the amount of turkey consumed during Christmas 2022 from an average of 10% of the market over the last five years to just 7%. Turkey’s share of volume fell by 15.6% in the four weeks to Christmas Day 2022, compared to the same period in 2021.
In contrast, retailers experienced a 5.1% uplift in volume sales and a 23.6% increase in value sales of fresh gammon products in the four weeks to December 25, as shoppers switched to alternatives to feature at the centre of their dinner tables.
Pilgrim’s UK expects this trend to continue this Christmas, with increased demand for pork products, including gammon, and pork crackling joints. It is gearing up to sell over 65 million packs of pork, and has already produced over 600,000 packs of pigs in blankets in preparation for the festive period.
Rachel Griffiths, chief commercial officer at Pilgrim’s UK, said: “Evolving consumer tastes and the rising cost-of-living continues to bring more cost-effective and versatile pork products, such as gammon and pork crackling joints, to centre stage for Christmas dinners.
“For example, gammon joints are cheaper, costing just over £6 per kilo, compared to a turkey at over £10 per kilo, and cooks beautifully in slow cookers and air fryers, both of which use far less energy than conventional ovens, and therefore help further save money.
“Gammon is incredibly versatile, is simple to prepare and cook and is delicious – making it an ideal choice for Christmas! And when it comes to utilising leftovers, the recipes are endless.
“Our dedicated teams have been working hard, producing over 36 million, high quality pork products in the four weeks to Christmas this year to ensure our retail customers are well stocked for the festive period.”