Butchers ‘first choice’ for consumers concerned about climate change, NCB survey reveals
According to a survey conducted by the National Craft Butchers (NCB), sustainability and provenance are growing concerns for consumers and butchers alike.
NCB launched its first ever survey of British butchers in July 2021, reaching out to butchery businesses across Britain.
The organisation said that the results “demonstrate just why butchers are the first choice for consumers concerned about climate change.” The results from the survey found that the majority of craft butchers are concerned about reducing food miles and supporting regenerative farming practices and the rural economy.
Other findings from the study include:
- 87% of respondents prioritise local produce in their shops
- Six out of 10 prefer to sell grass-fed, organic or free-range meat
- 38% will buy animals live direct from market for full traceability
- Two-thirds rely on a small local abattoir to supply their meat.
Over the last 18 months shopping habits have changed, with the survey revealing that 60% of butchers have experienced changes in their usual customer profile since March 2020 – the biggest shift being the arrival of younger shoppers who want to shop locally and care about where their meat comes from.
Richard Stevenson, technical manager of NCB, said: “As COP26 continues the results of our first Butchers Survey are a timely reminder that British craft butchers, like the farmers that supply them, take climate change seriously. They sell high quality, responsibly-farmed British meat because they believe it’s the best, and so, in increasing numbers, do their customers.”
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