Butter sales fall slowed

Press, 3 February 1982, Page 21

Butter sales fall slowed

PA Wellington The Dairy Board’s butter promotion campaign has slowed the decline in butter sales on the local market, a board spokesman says. In the year ended May, 1981, New Zealand butter sales fell about 2000 tonnes to 41,800 tonnes. Individual consumption fell from about 14 kg a year to 13.3 kg.

But the board says the butter promotion campaign which began last March has cut the decline in sales and maintained butter’s share of the yellow fats market. The board spokesman. Mr Quentin Golder, said, “So far we are very happy with the way it has gone. We regard it as a success. “We are not sure how much total sales will be in the May year but they will certainly be more than 40,000 tonnes. ■

“Buying patterns from month to month are erratic because of people thinking there will be a price rise or as the result of an actual rise, but we think the total sales will be pretty similar to last year.” The promotion campaign — built around the slogan, “Butter butters better,” has also maintained butter’s share of the yellow fats market of about 80 per cent. The fall in the 1980 year

was particularly heavy, and followed a steady decline in sales since the late 19605. when per capita consumption was as high as 17 kg or 18 kg, said Mr Golder. The first year of the butter campaign had shown similar results to the board’s highly successful cheese promotion which began in 1976. That campaign significantly raised cheese consumption, but did not “take off dramatically” in its early stages, he said. Butter has shown steep price increases in the last two years with the Government’s decision to remove the subsidy. A little more than a year ago it was 87c for a 500 g packet. It is now 51.10.