Over 8 in 10 (83%) adults claim to typically purchase sliced ham, with almost 6 in 10 (56%) of these purchasing at least once a week. This research, conducted on behalf of Retail Intelligence by Empathy Research, amongst a nationally representative sample of 1,018 adults aged 18+, sought to understand the buying behaviour of consumers in this category and how brands can align with their needs.
The most frequent buyers of sliced ham are aged between 45-54, where two thirds (66%) of buyers claim to purchase at least once a week, with 6 in 10 (60%) of those in the 35-44 age group also buying at this frequency. The most infrequent purchasers tend to be aged 65+, where half (50%) will purchase once every 2-4 weeks.
1 in 7 (14%) ham buyers claim they are purchasing more sliced ham than they were this time last year, with a similar proportion (14%) claiming to be purchasing less sliced ham than this time last year.
Key motivations for reducing the amount of sliced ham purchased year-on-year are that sliced ham is seen to contain too much salt (32%), with concern also being expressed in relation to the overall nutritional benefits of the ham (28%) and to the quality of the meat included (23%). There also 1 in 5 (20%) ham buyers who claim they are purchasing less often because they now prefer different types of meat.
When it comes to the type of ham being purchased, just over 4 in 10 (43%) buyers claim they will only buy branded ham, driven by those aged 55+. There are almost 4 in 10 (39%) ham buyers who will buy both branded and own brand ham, with the remainder (18%) purchasing solely own brand ham.
For further information and more in-depth analysis on consumer behaviour within the sliced ham category, please contact Robbie Clarke at Empathy Research: [email protected]
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