Strong Christmas sales for red meat and dairy
Lamb roasting joints are growing in popularity at Christmas, with latest figures showing sales have increased during December over the last two years.
Despite restrictions easing last year, meaning a return to the eating-out market for the festive season, more shoppers bought lamb in the four weeks to December 26, according to Kantar.
The figures show a rise of one per cent on 2020’s record retail performance for red meat, and up 3.3 per cent on 2019.
Pork roasting joints also enjoyed an uplift compared to 2019’s pre-Covid Christmas.
While beef roasting joints were unable to reach the heights of Christmas 2020, total beef was in growth compared to 2019.
While it is difficult to compare red meat performance to Christmas 2020, when the whole country was in lockdown and all festivities took place at home, we can see that red meat performed well in retail during 2021 when compared to a more normal, pre-lockdown Christmas.
Grace Randall is AHDB Retail Insight Manager
