Quantity gross sales of lamb roasting joints within the two weeks main as much as Easter this yr rose by 25.5% in comparison with 2022, in line with the Agriculture and Horticulture Growth Board (AHDB).

Leg roasting joints accounted for nearly 93% of all lamb roasting joints bought this Easter, and 62% of all lamb bought throughout the interval.

The biggest uplift in purchases was seen within the center household demographic, reasonably than older shoppers, the place there was a 22.3% enhance throughout the peak Easter buying interval in contrast with final yr.

AHDB cited the newest information from Kantar which confirmed that, within the two weeks main as much as Easter 2023, 9.7 million kg of roasting joints had been bought by means of retailers – up 6% on final yr.

Nonetheless, in line with AHDB retail and shopper perception analyst Charlottle Forkes-Rees, this enhance is solely as a result of efficiency of lamb.

General gross sales

General, the meat, fish and poultry class noticed a 1.8% decline in gross sales throughout Easter 2023 in comparison with Easter 2022. Gross sales of beef joints fell by 0.7% and pork joints by 16.8%, whereas lamb noticed its gross sales rise by over 25%.

In line with Forkes-Rees, that is due to the slower price of value rises for lamb roasting joints in comparison with its opponents.

“Regardless of commanding the best common value per kilo of the pink meats within the 12 weeks ending April 16, lamb has seen the smallest value enhance on this time, up 9.9% in contrast with 10.8% and 13.4% uplifts for beef and pork respectively,” she mentioned.

“Promotional exercise round lamb at Easter was nicely supported by retailers.

“Within the two weeks ending April 9, volumes bought of meat, fish and poultry bought on promotion accounted for 25.8% of whole purchases. Lamb, nonetheless, noticed 42.9% of its volumes bought on promotion.

“This may increasingly have helped persuade shoppers to deal with themselves to lamb for his or her celebratory lunch, and switching to the class was seen from all different proteins.”