Pork trade body Bpex is hoping to pull in younger consumers with a new £2m marketing push.
With pork prices and sales in decline, Bpex is kicking off a “three to five-year” campaign to change perceptions of pork among younger consumers. It will kick off on 29 April with a TV ad encouraging shoppers to try pulled pork at home by showing how tasty and easy to cook it is. The ad will be supported by PR, social media and in-store activity, with more TV later in the year.
Bpex said pork remained popular with consumers aged over 60, but admitted younger shoppers were eating very little fresh pork at home. Pulled pork - made popular by US cookery shows and success in foodservice - had been selected as the ‘hero’ product.
Eating more pulled pork could also help improve the sustainability and profitability of pig farming, claimed Bpex. About 10 million pigs are reared in the UK each year but consumers eat the shoulder joints from only six million pigs. Promoting shoulder as ‘pulled pork’ could get Britons eating more shoulder meat, making pig farming more sustainable in the long term.
“Already appearing on many pub and restaurant menus, we want consumers to try pulled pork at home as this is a great dish to reintroduce them to pork,” said BPEX marketing head Kirsty Walker. “Sales of fresh pork over the past decade have been flat or in decline and this problem is going to worsen if we don’t reach out to younger consumers.”
Bpex added that processors and retailers had got behind the campaign and were investing in it themselves.
“Changing consumer perceptions about pork will take time but we are confident rejuvenating the image of pork, starting with pulled pork, will add value to the supply chain,” she said.
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