New mystery shopper research has shown that British Aberdeen-Angus beef is the most prominent brand across premium supermarket meat ranges, according to the Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society.
The analysis carried out by the Society has revealed that the native breed is the beef of choice in the premium meat product lines across a range of supermarkets from Aldi and Asda, through to Waitrose and M&S.
Robert Gilchrist, The Society’s CEO said that the findings of the mystery shopper research are “incredibly encouraging” and testament to the hard work Aberdeen-Angus farmers put in to producing beef with such a high meat-eating quality.
He added: “It is especially reassuring to see such a strong brand presence in both discount retailers and the more high-end supermarkets. We’re proud to be able to fill the shelves at every price point.”
The research reviewed eight of the main supermarkets in the UK and own-brand premium lines of beef – looking specifically at burgers, steaks, mince, and roasting joints – to investigate whether a breed was specified and its country of origin. Aldi, Asda, Waitrose and Marks & Spencer all represented a strong brand presence of Aberdeen-Angus across their premium labels, and positively all the participating supermarkets at least boasted British beef.
The mystery shopper research confirmed that Aberdeen-Angus beef was prominently labelled across Aldi’s entire premium line of burgers, steaks and roasting joints. Gilchrist commented: “This is particularly encouraging because a recent AHDB report shows discount supermarkets – including Aldi – are set to grow their market share by 23.9% over the next five years, making it the fastest and largest growth of any grocery channel.
“It’s fantastic to see retailers supporting not only British farmers, but also our favourite native breed. This should be hugely reassuring for farmers that our breed is recognised as the number one brand by consumers.”
He added: “It’s also incredibly promising that the most recent British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS) results, which show Aberdeen-Angus as the most popular registered breed in the UK, are being reflected on supermarket shelves.”
This story was originally published on a previous version of the Meat Management website and so there may be some missing images and formatting issues.
