Retailers reveal strategic meat deals as prices rise

Meat & poultry promotions continued their long-running decline this year. Sales on promotion fell 18.9% in value in the year to 27 November [Kantar]. Temporary price reductions led with a 27.7% slump.

The declines were even sharper in fresh primary. Promo sales were down 31.9% in value, with TPRs down 42.8%. Fresh processed saw a 13.6% fall in promotion value, with a 21.8% fall in TPRs.

“Retailers and brands are reducing the level of promotions and relying more on full-price purchases,” says Kantar analyst Vikash Kaansili.

But the broader trend is not stopping supermarkets from tempting shoppers with some strategic offers.

Tesco points to its £8 per kilo slow roasting beef joint, a 21-day matured ribeye at £4.60 and a 650g diced British chicken breast at £4.75 as three key Clubcard deals.

A slew of discounts in its Aldi Price Match campaign also include a Willow Farm whole chicken at £3.56.

Sainsbury’s has deals on staples such as chicken breasts, beefburgers and lamb legs. These are available through its own Aldi Price Match, as well as its Price Lock and My Nectar Prices – part of its plan to invest £550m by March 2023 in price drops.

In a similar vein, Asda recently launched a seven meals for £20 campaign, which includes a selection of meat and poultry plus “regular offers” through Asda Rewards.

There is also fresh meat to be found in the Just Essentials range rolled out by Asda last spring, which “provides customers with a wider choice of affordable fresh options”.

Morrisons, meanwhile, says it has cut the price of 35 products in its Price Locked Low push, under which products are “crunched in price” for at least eight weeks, with large discounts across the steak category as well as in quarter pounders and breaded chicken.

Among other offers, it launched hand-prepared in-store Meat Packs at the end of January. This includes 400g pork loin steaks, a 600g pork loin joint, eight sausages and 400g of mince for £9.49, “enabling customers to feed their family or freeze down for later”.

As for Waitrose, it says it’s “regularly rolling out special offers in store”, including on meat. Customers can currently enjoy two for £8 across a range of higher-welfare own-brand chicken, meat and fish products.