Pilgrim’s UK has announced it will produce over four million pork products in the run up to Christmas to keep up with a surge in consumer demand.
With the cost-of-living crisis leaving many families cash-strapped, the festive period could bring a boost to red meat, particularly to pork.
It follows warnings this week of a shortage of free range turkeys and price rises due to the country's largest ever bird flu outbreak.
Pilgrim’s UK, a major pork processor, said these issues had left consumers looking for more affordable meat options to take centre stage at the dinner table this year.
The firm anticipates an increase in demand for pork, such as gammon, which is expected to see a 25% uplift in volume, as well as pork crackling joints.
Fresh pork has increased its share of the wider protein category over the past four weeks to 13.3% in terms of volume compared to the last four weeks of December 2021.
Meanwhile, fresh turkey has faced an over 85% decline in volume share of the category during the same period.
Rachel Griffiths, chief commercial officer at Pilgrim’s UK, said consumers were looking to switch to more cost-effective pork products for their Christmas dinner centrepieces.
“We started production early to meet this anticipated demand as consumers seek to avoid shortages and get their hands on affordable alternatives in time for Christmas."
It follows a new report published by AHDB which looked at recent buying behaviours and market trends to predict Christmas consumer habits.
AHDB senior retail insight manager, Kim Heath said that turkey shortages, the cost-of-living crisis and new buying trends over the last couple of Christmas’s all have the potential to lift sales of red meat this year.
“After two years of unpredictable Christmas periods, we had hoped this year would be about treating and huge celebrations,” she said.
“But the challenging economic situation means the cost-of-living crisis makes Christmas 2022 just as unpredictable as a Covid Christmas."
Because of this, there is likely to be a shift to cheaper roasting joints, benefiting pork.
"With a potential shortage of turkeys there is an opportunity for people to trade up to beef and lamb for consumers who want a showstopping centre piece.”
