Over 8 in 10 (81%) adults claim to typically purchase sliced ham on a frequent basis, marginally down from levels recorded in 2017, where some 83% claimed to purchase.
However, the frequency of purchase amongst buyers has increased marginally year-on-year, with almost 6 in 10 (58%) ham buyers purchasing at least once a week. This research, conducted on behalf of Retail Intelligence by Empathy Research, amongst a nationally representative sample of 1,000 adults aged 18+, sought to understand the buying behaviour of consumers in this category and how brands can align with their needs.
When it comes to the type of ham being purchased, there has been a sharp reduction in the proportion who claim they only buy ‘branded’ ham, with just over a third (35%) of buyers claiming they will only buy branded ham, down from 43% in 2017. Almost half (47%) of ham buyers claim they now buy both branded and own brand ham, with the remainder (18%) purchasing solely own brand ham, unchanged year-on-year.
Some 1 in 8 (12%) ham buyers claim they are purchasing more sliced ham than they were this time last year, marginally down from 2017 levels (14%). However, there has also been a reduction in the proportion of ham buyers claiming to be purchasing less sliced ham than this time last year (10% from 14%). The vast majority (78%) of ham buyers claim they are purchasing the same amount of sliced ham as they were this time last year.
Key motivations for reducing the amount of sliced ham purchased year-on-year have changed considerably from 2017 levels. This year we record an increase in the level of concern being expressed in relation to the overall nutritional benefits of ham (42% from 28%) and to the quality of the meat included (40% from 23%). There are also nearly 3 in 10 (29%) ham buyers who claim they are purchasing less often because it contains too much salt.
For further information and more in-depth analysis on consumer behaviour within the sliced ham category, please contact Robbie Clarke at Empathy Research.
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