Lamb consumption falls by 10% year on year

GB lamb consumption has dropped by 10% over the past year, as soaring retail prices have knocked consumer demand.

In the year to 13 May, lamb prices increased by 12%, resulting in a drop in sales from 77,299t in 2010-11 to 69,256t in 2011/12, according to the latest information from analyst Kantar WorldPanel.

However, the price rise partly offset the decrease in consumption, meaning overall lamb expenditure remained fairly constant, following the seasonal peak to around £60m in April and dropping to around £40m in July.

Lamb chop steaks and lamb mince showed the greatest decrease in sales, down by 16-17% over the past year. However, exports had made up for the slump in domestic consumption, rising by 7%. Imports of New Zealand lamb also fell, by 10% in the year to March.

The lamb market share has fallen from 13.2% to 12% of red meat sales in the past year,” said a report by Northern Ireland’s Livestock and Meat Commission. Over the same period, poultry sales increased by 4%, with expenditure up by 9%. Beef and pork prices both increased by 6%, with sale volumes unchanged year on year.

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