Poultry considered ‘best value food’ for UK consumers

Over the last two decades poultry prices have risen at the slowest rate of 35 different food categories, and have increased at only half their average rate, new analysis by the British Poultry Council (BPC) shows.

To mark the retirement of Chief Executive Peter Bradnock, who has spent 20 years in the poultry industry, the BPC looked at the impact of inflation across a range of different areas. Since April 1993, poultry prices have risen by 30.9%, an average annual increase of only 1.5%. This is well below the retail price index which has gone up by 76.9% over the last two decades.

Poultry has the lowest rate of increase across 35 different food categories, which increased by an average of 68.1% over the same period. Since April 1993, lamb prices have risen by 108.7%, fish by 96.1%, pork by 95.3% and beef has increased by 50.8%.

Rates of inflation are even higher outside the food sector, with recent research by Shelter revealing that if food costs had risen in line with house prices since 1971, a roast chicken would currently have a £51 price tag. However in April 2013 the average price of a chicken purchased at a supermarket is £4.59, which makes it an affordable source of healthy meat for consumers.

Poultry price increases have been mitigated by the level of consolidation within the industry. In 1993, over 20 companies contributed 90% of poultry production in the UK, down to five companies in 2013. At the same time production levels have gone up by 25%. In recent years, frozen poultry production has fallen from 50% of total sales to 15%.

The quantity of chicken consumed, as a percentage of all meat in the UK, has increased from 34% to 44% over this period. 49% of all meat now consumed in the UK is from the poultry sector.

“Over the past twenty years in my role I have seen the poultry meat sector change dramatically,” commented Peter Bradnock, BPC’s Chief Executive. “It is a dynamic and fast-paced modern food industry committed to improving efficiency throughout the production process. In 2013, chicken remains the best value healthy meat for families in the UK. I am confident that the industry will continue to go from strength to strength.”