AHDB marketing campaign helps drive pork sales spike
© Tim Scrivener A nationwide marketing campaign which urges consumers to eat more home-produced pork has triggered a spike in sales of this versatile meat, new figures reveal.
The AHDB’s Love Pork Mix Up Midweek campaign reached 26.3 million homes (94%) in the UK, with the aim of inspiring consumers to build a habit of using pork in their everyday lives.
The latest campaign ran twice, from 1 October to 12 November 2019 and 13 January to 23 February 2020.
See also: Dairy sales surge during coronavirus lockdown, figures show
The levy body’s marketing push featured a light-hearted national TV advert, complemented by the use of digital channels, social media and in-store activity.
Eight of 10 people who viewed the TV ad said it made them want to buy pork – leading to a £12.4m sales uplift for total fresh primary pork. Pork loin medallion sales have risen by 36% since the campaign first began in 2017.
The campaign gained nearly 22 million impressions on social media and six million recipe views on video on-demand, as well as reaching younger consumers.
Comfort during Covid
Coronavirus has also given a great boost to the popularity of pork, as millions of people turned to the comfort and convenience of the product, to serve as part of meals at home.
AHDB strategy director for pork Angela Christison said: “In the UK, we have a great product to sell and it’s fantastic that more consumers now see pork as a healthy, nutritious and tasty source of protein and one of the most versatile food ingredients around.”
AHDB board member and sector chairman for pork Mike Sheldon said: The latest findings were “incredibly encouraging”.
“We are delighted to see the continued shift in public perceptions towards pork,” he added.