Shoppers want inspiration, information and British advocacy from their butchers

Shoppers want inspiration, information and British advocacy from their butchers

New research from the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) aims to help butchers at both independent retailers and supermarkets re-engage consumers with their counters and increase red meat demand.

Independent butcher shops and supermarket butcher counters make up an important albeit small part of the retail market for red meat purchases. Currently, loose packaged meat and poultry found at these counters accounts for 7% of the total market, equivalent to almost 183 million kilos (Kantar, 52 w/e 20 April 2025).

Charlotte Forkes-Rees, Retail and Consumer Insight Analyst at AHDB, said: “These counters can play an important role in red meat retail performance. Consumers enjoy the personalisation of the service and the knowledge that a butcher can offer them, with 54% of consumers saying they feel a stronger connection to their food when purchased from a counter rather than an aisle (AHDB/Linney Reinventing Butchers Research April 2025).”

Despite this, retail data has shown that at a total market level, volumes of loose package red meat and poultry purchased are in a 3.2% decline and are underperforming compared with prepackaged products, which have seen a 0.7% growth in the same period (Kantar, 52 w/e 20 April 2025).

The AHDB research found that there are a range of trigger points to entice shoppers and influence their purchasing decisions at different stages of their shopping: from afar, on approach to the counter, and when looking directly at/inside the counter.

From afar, large posters showing cooked meat and inspirational foodie imagery, along with chalk boards showing special offers, should be utilised to attract attention and get shoppers thinking about the different tasty meals they can make.

Consumers want to see leaflets and recipe cards when they are approaching the counter, as well as a range of messaging themes regarding health, farming and provenance. Messages highlighting British farming expertise, local origin, welfare schemes or the health benefits of vitamins and minerals, such as B12, strongly appeal.

Within the counter, the research showed that while flags were the smallest format tested for displaying information, they are the second most influential for increasing purchase intent when showcasing awards, vitamins and minerals, and local information. 

To read the full AHDB analysis and to watch Charlotte’s ‘Rethinking Retail’ butchers presentation, visit: https://ahdb.org.uk/knowledge-library/consumer-insights-optimising-butchers-and-supermarket-meat-counters