The Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC) has said that recognition of the Northern Ireland Farm Quality Assurance (NIFQA) logo has continued to sit at “record levels”.
LMC said that research undertaken in the first half of 2024, following the latest burst of the Commission’s advertising campaign, Good Honest Food, shows that more than eight in 10 consumers are aware of the NIFQA logo.
Commenting Lauren Patterson, LMC head of marketing and communications, said: “This is an extremely encouraging statistic and one which sits well above the industry benchmark.”
The research, which was commissioned by LMC, also illustrated that the Commission’s marketing efforts are paying dividends. It found that there was a high level of awareness of the campaign and NIFQA translating into informed purchasing behaviours.
Patterson said: “Consumers across all age groupings report to make a conscious effort to buy beef or lamb with the NIFQA logo. We have seen a marked uplift in the number of consumers actively seeking out lamb carrying the NIFQA logo in recent years.
“Our latest research highlights a 23 percentage point increase since 2020 in consumers seeking out NIFQA lamb. When we turn to look at beef the picture is equally as pleasing with 2 in 3 consumers stating that they always try to buy beef with the NIFQA logo.”
Patterson said she believes that the campaign messaging has helped foster a high degree of trust in the quality credentials upheld in the production of NIFQA beef and lamb.
She continued: “Good Honest Food sees local chef James Devine chat about the health, sustainability and environmental credentials of NIFQA beef and lamb with industry experts. The views expressed bring irrefutable scientific evidence to the table and demonstrate in a simple way the benefits of incorporating beef and lamb into a healthy balanced diet.
“Our research confirms that consumers recognise NIFQA beef and lamb as high quality red meats and they continue to actively seek these out when shopping. At LMC we are very proud of the quality and reputation of NIFQA beef and lamb and the work carried out by all supply chain partners which ensures we continue to deliver world leading quality meats for consumers to enjoy.
“Going forward our marketing efforts will continue to build on this momentum, sharing the positive farm to fork story of NIFQA beef and lamb and maximising value for our levy payers.”
