Butchers across the UK saw a significant rise in meat sales during the World Cup period, with a particular increase in sales of BBQ products.
Q Guild chairman David Lishman of Lishmans of Ilkley told Meat Management: “The World Cup and the hot weather has had a good effect on the retail trade.
“It has kept people at home and in their gardens and we have seen a strong increase in the sales of BBQ products, particularly the higher end burgers and other grill products such as chicken wings and pork spare ribs.”
However, David reported: “Although sausages are a must on the BBQ we haven’t seen such a lift in sales as we would have expected. Perhaps sausages have moved over for steaks and burgers.
“All in all, the football has been good for us with boosted pre match sales, but whilst the game is on the streets seem to empty.”
National Craft Butchers (NCB) president, John Mettrick of J W Mettrick & Son, added: “The combination of the great weather and the World Cup was certainly a winner for the BBQ trade. Chicken kebabs, beef burgers and sausages were all popular choices.
“Marinated chicken fillets and thighs were very popular and quick to turnaround in the rush to get meat onto a stick.”
“After the Croatia game the mood obviously dropped and the urge to BBQ subsided. However, like the England, team butchers have had a good run.”
Simon Kelly, shop manager of Aubrey Allen spoke on the increase of unusual BBQ dishes: “Some of the more unusual BBQ dishes saw an increase too, such as butterflied leg of lamb and teriyaki bavette of beef.
“Sausage and burger sales were phenomenal and the team couldn’t make them quick enough! If watching England wasn’t so stressful we’d happily welcome the World Cup every year!”
Jan Corry of Corry’s Butchers spoke about the increase in customers at her butcher’s shop, and said: “We had one of our busiest Thursdays on 5th July when England were playing, so it’s been a double whammy on top of the usual school fetes at this time of year.”
However James Robert Patrick of Patricks of Camelon believes it is the good weather has helped with sales and commented: “couldn’t say if it was because of the World Cup or not.”
Meanwhile at the supermarkets, Asda expected sales of bangers, burgers and BBQs to increase by 1966% in the days following the semi-finals, with 8.5 million sausages predicted to sell.
Tesco customers have also been creating huge demand for BBQ food and Tesco predicted around four million burgers and more than one million packs of BBQ meat were sold in the third week of the World Cup.
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.
