Pigmeats Not Favoured

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31564, 29 December 1967, Page 1

Pigmeats Not Favoured

Pigmeats are not favoured by Christchurch meat consumers, who spend on the average less each week on pork, ham, and bacon than on beef, lamb, or mutton.

This is a conclusion drawn from a survey of the meatbuying attitudes and consumption patterns of 360 Christchurch households, conducted by Mr C. A. Yandle, an assistant lecturer in economics at Lincoln College. The results of his survey—part of a larger research project to determine factors affecting pricing and consumption of meat in New Zealand —have just been published in a Lincoln College agricultural economics research bulletin.

The price attitude of the Christchurch consumers, says Mr Yandle, is a large factor in depressing the demand for pork. Pigmeats, considered wrongly by the survey consumers to be higher priced than poultry, are thought too expensive—with the exception of bacon—for every day eating. “There is a reasonably high preference for pork, but low actual consumption of it,” Mr Yandle says.

Pigmeat consumption in New Zealand is proportionately much lower than in other countries, according to Mr Yandle. A large export for New Zealand pigmeats is unlikely at present, he says, as

the local wholesale price is above world price. A higher-volume market must be sought within New Zealand if the pig-farming industry is to transform successfully to grain feeding of pigs.

“This means that the share of the New Zealand meat market held by pigmeats will need to be increased,” says Mr Yandle. “The view held by most consumers that pork is a luxury meat will need to be corrected. A strong case can be made for pork over beef and lamb if prices are compared on a quality-for-quality basis. It would see that a constructive promotional campaign on the part of the New Zealand Pig Producers’ Council, and the marketing industry, aimed at informing the consumer of the price, relative cost, and uses of pigmeats (especially pork) would greatly benefit the industry.” Ham, especially cooked, sliced ham, is certainly highly priced, Mr Yandle says. Holding or reducing the price would require the industry to look critically at processing methods, costs, and optimum size of processing plant. Bacon, while still competitive with its substitutes, would be

put in a more advantageous position if its relative price could be lowered. Both bacon and ham are processed by the same firms.

Pigmeat smallgoods, says Mr Yandle, are one of the few well-advertised meat items in New Zealand, but the advertising mostly takes the form of brand promotion.

“But it appears that consumers are not brand conscious in buying smallgoods, in spite of many years of advertising,” Mr Yandle says. “It is suggested here that promotion expenditure would yield greater results if diverted to promotion as outlined above, and to increasing the variety of smallgoods available —and informing the public accordingly.”