Sausage brand Richmond has fallen victim to Brexit-induced shrinkflation in the wake of surging commodity prices.
Richmond maker Kerry Foods has cut the pack size of Richmond Thick Sausages from 16 sausages to 14 - a drop of 91g to 634g despite the base price remaining the same (rsp: £2.50).
The brand’s 28-pack of Thick Sausages has fallen 181g to 1.087kg, from 28 to 24 sausages (rsp: £3.50). Richmond Skinless Sausages are now 50g lighter at 426g (rsp: £1.78 in Asda/£2 in Sainsbury’s and Tesco).
Kerry’s Denny brand has also shrunk its All Natural Ham SKU, down 40g to 160g (rsp: £2.50).
This move was in response to the “long-term rise in the price of pork”, according to a Kerry Foods spokeswoman. “We have previously absorbed these rising commodity costs internally. However, this decision was taken to continue to offer the high quality and value that is expected of our brands.”
UK pig prices were at their highest since July 2014 earlier this month, over 30% higher year on year, at 161.70p/kg due to tight supplies and the weak pound [AHDB 52 w/e 10 June 2017].
AHDB’s senior multiple retail trade manager, Matt Southam, said shrinkflation on meat products had become a common technique on own-label SKUs over the past 10 years to deal with rising inflation.
“We’ve seen the price [of meat] go up quite sharply over the past couple of months,” said Southam. “We know that when lamb prices are up, demand falls, and retailers are aware of that. It’s not as profound in other species, but with meat sales not being great over the past five or six years, retailers don’t want to see any more declines.”
Richmond and Denny are the latest brands to shrink pack sizes due to rising costs, following a raft of SKUs across fmcg including Birds Eye, Peperami and Doritos.
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