More than 50 per cent of the market is made up of ham which has a wider appeal than other sliced meats. Sliced cooked meats represent a 31.5 billion market and are purchased by 95 per cent of homes. A new category report has now been produced by the Meat and Livestock Commission (MLC) for the British Pig Executive (BPEX). Sliced cooked meats represent a 31.5 billion market and are purchased by 95 per cent of homes. It looks at four main uses of cooked meats:

• Food on the move
• Quick meals
• Salads
• Freedom meals - informal occasions such as buffets.

Pig Meat Marketing Manager Chris Lukehurst said: "Food on the Move - mainly sandwiches - and Quick Meals use meat from the fridge where convenience, long shelf life and lower price outweigh perceptions that the product is processed.

"In fact when consumers do want to improve the quality of a sandwich they are more likely to do so by improving the bread or adding more fillings or dressings rather than by improving the quality of the ham. For Salads and Freedom Meals the meat will tend to be bought specifically for the meal and quality is much more important.

"The report introduces Taste Signatures, a simple graphical representation of how emotions influence choices and in turn how that choice satisfies a desire. These should be interesting to those in product development or communication."

The report is available free to levy payers and those involved in the British pigmeat supply chain 3295 to others. For copies please contact Denise Price, tel: 01908 844327, e-mail: [email protected].

Source: BPEX - 4th October 2004