Data from the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) has found that in the 12 weeks to 9th August 2026, total volumes of red meat declined 1.5% year-on-year, while processed beef saw growth.
The body found that despite less red meat being sold overall, spend was up 1.8%, which it attributed to higher average prices.
Compared to the same period a year before, total beef volume decline by -2%. However, AHDB said that it achieved a 3.3% spend increase due to increased average prices of 5.4%. Spend on total primary beef products increased by 3.2% on the year as volumes declined by 3.1%.
The category that achieved the greatest decline was beef mince, falling 7.8% (-2,237 tonnes). AHDB found this was driven by a reduction in volumes purchased and fewer buyers, while average prices increasing 7.6% on the year also impacted demand.
Beef steaks saw volume growth of 13.4%, which appeared to be prompted by promotions, as AHDB reported 10.7% more sold on promotion than in 2025.
Volumes of processed beef increased 9.9% on the year, driven by burgers and grills, with volumes up 13% (2,166 tonnes). The body found that 17.5% more volume was sold on promotion year-on-year. AHDB highlighted that sliced cooked meats also experienced volume growth of 3.4%.
AHDB suggested that sales of beef steaks and processed beef may have been helped by warmer weather, which it said encouraged more people to buy steak cuts and products for grilling. It also suggested the increased growth could have been a result of eating out less and buying more premium meals for the home instead.
Total added value beef also grew, with volumes increasing 0.5% year on year, despite spend being down -0.3%.
Lamb volumes for steak and stewing cuts up on the year
Lamb saw a volume decline of 6%, but a spend increase of 2.4% as higher average prices continued to place pressure on demand across the category.
For total primary lamb products, spend declined 2.1% year-on-year, while volumes fell 10.5%.
AHDB identified lamb leg roasting as having seen the biggest drop in sales volume, falling 30.1% compared with last year. Volumes of lamb shoulder were down -10.1% in volume year-on-year. Lamb chops fell 12.3% and lamb mince declined 5.7%.
AHDB went on to report that volumes increased by 6.7% for lamb steak and 24.2% for lamb stewing cuts, while lamb steak had 3.7% more volume sold on promotion year-after-year.
Processed lamb volumes declined 7.5% year-on-year, with burgers and grills down 5.3%, while added value lamb was also in volume decline (-1.3%), pushed by larger declines in sous vide.
Consumers demand convenient meal solutions in pigmeat category
Looking to the pigmeat category, AHDB reported volume declines of 0.9%. Spend increased at 0.5% due to average price increases.
Total primary pigmeat volumes increased 0.8% year-on-year, while spend moderately declined by 0.5%.
Pig meat mince reportedly saw “strong growth”, with volumes increasing by 26.6% (1,060 tonnes), as shoppers switched from beef mince to pork mince in the period, as well as buying it more frequently and purchasing more on each shopping trip. According to AHDB, pig belly also grew by 8.8%, while several other cuts saw declining sales.
Processed pig meat volumes fell by 2.9% year-on-year, with volumes of bacon rashers, sliced cooked meats and sausages all declining on the year. The body found that bacon rashers had the largest fall, down 1,673 tonnes compared with the previous year.
AHDB said that added value pig meat remained a “key growth area”, with volumes increasing 6.6% and spend rising 7.7%. Growth was driven by sous vide (13%) and marinades (8.9%), with AHDB highlighting continued shopper demand for convenient meal solutions.
