Comments on: The price of pork http://stonehead.wordpress.com/2007/09/16/the-price-of-pork/ The trials and tribulations of a modern crofter Tue, 07 Oct 2008 16:00:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU hourly 1 By: stonehead http://stonehead.wordpress.com/2007/09/16/the-price-of-pork/#comment-10468 stonehead Mon, 17 Sep 2007 21:26:07 +0000 http://stonehead.wordpress.com/2007/09/16/the-price-of-pork/#comment-10468 I had a look at the article Shoppers Say Yes To Higher Pork Prices and can see an obvious limit to the hope that the great British consumer will pay a more sustainable price for pork (or any other food for that matter). The research quoted in the article found "42% said they would be prepared to pay up to 10% more with a further 36% happy to pay up to 5%. That's another 43 pence per kilogram on the cost of the Tesco leg of lamb, bring it up to £4.72 per kilogram - still below the cost of production of extensive, outdoor reared rare-breed pork. Or to put it another way, the price of pig feed has doubled and other inputs are also rising (the knock-on effects of oil price rises), but the British consumer still only wants to pay a proportion of the real cost of their meat. Still, it is a start. I had a look at the article Shoppers Say Yes To Higher Pork Prices and can see an obvious limit to the hope that the great British consumer will pay a more sustainable price for pork (or any other food for that matter).

The research quoted in the article found “42% said they would be prepared to pay up to 10% more with a further 36% happy to pay up to 5%.

That’s another 43 pence per kilogram on the cost of the Tesco leg of lamb, bring it up to £4.72 per kilogram - still below the cost of production of extensive, outdoor reared rare-breed pork.

Or to put it another way, the price of pig feed has doubled and other inputs are also rising (the knock-on effects of oil price rises), but the British consumer still only wants to pay a proportion of the real cost of their meat.

Still, it is a start.

]]> By: Stephen P http://stonehead.wordpress.com/2007/09/16/the-price-of-pork/#comment-10467 Stephen P Mon, 17 Sep 2007 21:10:27 +0000 http://stonehead.wordpress.com/2007/09/16/the-price-of-pork/#comment-10467 We love top quality sausages and meat at www.sausagefans.com and, certainly with sausages, I think people are gradually realising that paying just a bit more means they get a whole lot more quality. Our own research would suggest that people are paying more for their meat (gradually) and it's not just us according to Meat Info mag other people have found the same (http://www.meatinfo.co.uk/articles/50282/Shoppers-say-yes-to-higher-pork-prices.aspx). It's an uphill struggle spreading the word and sharing the love. Perhaps the solution for those who cannot "afford" proper meat is to eat less of it. They could therefore eat meat of a better quality. Hopefully Jimmy's farm has done something to help the British public begin to realise they are on a hiding to nothing giving supermarkets their money. I really do hope that Jimmy refused to sell to the supermarkets and that it wasn't just marketing spin. If enough people tell enough people the facts of supermarket meat I think more people would be prepared to pay more for the good stuff. Stephen aka Sausage King We love top quality sausages and meat at http://www.sausagefans.com and, certainly with sausages, I think people are gradually realising that paying just a bit more means they get a whole lot more quality.

Our own research would suggest that people are paying more for their meat (gradually) and it’s not just us according to Meat Info mag other people have found the same (http://www.meatinfo.co.uk/articles/50282/Shoppers-say-yes-to-higher-pork-prices.aspx).

It’s an uphill struggle spreading the word and sharing the love. Perhaps the solution for those who cannot “afford” proper meat is to eat less of it. They could therefore eat meat of a better quality.

Hopefully Jimmy’s farm has done something to help the British public begin to realise they are on a hiding to nothing giving supermarkets their money. I really do hope that Jimmy refused to sell to the supermarkets and that it wasn’t just marketing spin.

If enough people tell enough people the facts of supermarket meat I think more people would be prepared to pay more for the good stuff.

Stephen aka Sausage King

]]> By: Tumuli http://stonehead.wordpress.com/2007/09/16/the-price-of-pork/#comment-10458 Tumuli Mon, 17 Sep 2007 15:52:05 +0000 http://stonehead.wordpress.com/2007/09/16/the-price-of-pork/#comment-10458 No, they don't need to do that, they can taste it!!!! No, they don’t need to do that, they can taste it!!!!

]]> By: stonehead http://stonehead.wordpress.com/2007/09/16/the-price-of-pork/#comment-10454 stonehead Mon, 17 Sep 2007 13:48:55 +0000 http://stonehead.wordpress.com/2007/09/16/the-price-of-pork/#comment-10454 I just came across a <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6978021.stm" rel="nofollow">BBC News story</a> in which the British Pig Association says that farmers are being paid £1.10 per kilogram for pigs that cost £1.44 per kilogram to produce. People should be asking themselves what the environmental and animal welfare costs are of producing meat that cheaply and that intensively. I just came across a BBC News story in which the British Pig Association says that farmers are being paid £1.10 per kilogram for pigs that cost £1.44 per kilogram to produce.

People should be asking themselves what the environmental and animal welfare costs are of producing meat that cheaply and that intensively.

]]> By: India http://stonehead.wordpress.com/2007/09/16/the-price-of-pork/#comment-10438 India Mon, 17 Sep 2007 09:01:48 +0000 http://stonehead.wordpress.com/2007/09/16/the-price-of-pork/#comment-10438 MOst folk really do baulk at the idea - but I do put my money where my mouth is. I buy from an organic farmer at a local market. I have a certain amount of money that I spend on meat, if at all, and if I buy this meat I eat meat far less often, but that's fine by me ;0) MOst folk really do baulk at the idea - but I do put my money where my mouth is. I buy from an organic farmer at a local market. I have a certain amount of money that I spend on meat, if at all, and if I buy this meat I eat meat far less often, but that’s fine by me ;0)

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