Sausage and Mash

Devro blamed “significant cost pressures” for the fall

Record pork prices have hit demand for sausages in the UK, contributing to falling profits at sausage casing maker Devro.

In its preliminary results, published this week, the company said UK volume sales of its casings fell by 6% year on year in the 12 months to 31 December. This was the result of “lower market demand” and “significant cost pressures on consumers,” it said.

Total group revenue for Devro stood at £242.7m in 2013, up from £241.1m in 2012, while operating profit was down 0.7% year on year, to 42.1m.

Devro said it was continuing to invest in manufacturing and R&D, adding it planned to bring a new type of sausage casing - Fresh Select - to the UK in 2014.